LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. 



OUR UNIONS 

^ JHanual of JHetijotis 



LOCAL, COUNTY, DISTRICT, AND STATE 
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR UNIONS 



y 



BY 

AMOS R. WELLS 

MANAGING EDITOR OF THE GOLDEN RULE, AND AUTHOR OF 

" SOCIAL EVENINGS," " THE JUNIOR MANUAL," 

"ways of WORKING SERIES," 

'* FOREMAN JENNIE," 

ETC. 




BOSTON AND CHICAGO 

UNITED SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR 

1896 



K^ 






Copyright, 189^^ 



BY THE 

United Society of Christian Endeavor, 
Boston. 



All rights reserved. 




c. J. peters & CO., typographers, 

BOSTON. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Organizing a Union 5 

II. The Constitution 9 

III. The President 15 

IV. The Vice-President 23 

V. The Secretary 25 

VI. The Treasurer and Finances 30 

VII. The Executive Committee 32 

Vlli. The Lookout Committee 36 

IX. The Missionary Committee 43 

X. The Social Committee 49 

XL The Press Committee 56 

XII. The Music Committee 63 

XIII. The Christian-Citizenship Committee . 66 
^XIV. The Good-Literature Committee ... 71 

XV. The Correspondence Committee - - . » 7^ 

XVI. Committee Conferences 75 

XVII. Various Useful Methods . . . . . . . 78 

XVIII. Before and after the Convention ... 82 
XIX. Conducting a Convention 89 

XX. The Programme and Speakers loi 



OUR UNIONS. 



CHAPTER I. 

ORGANIZING A UNION. 

The Value of Christian Endeavor Unions.-— The 

useful purposes to which the church of Christ can 
put Christian Endeavor unions, and the useful results 
that spring from their work, may better be judged 
from the perusal of this book than from any pre- 
liminary statement. It may, however, be said in 
brief, first, that it is in the work of the city, county 
and State unions that Christian Endeavor interde- 
nominational fellowship is especially shown. This 
fellowship is of course conspicuously manifested 
in the great International Conventions, but those 
crowded conventions, though their attendance num- 
ber fifty thousand, reach few indeed of the vast 
Christian Endeavor host, while the work of the local 
union concerns all of the millions of young people 
banded together ** for Christ and the church." 

It is in the Christian Endeavor unions that the 
chief power of Christian Endeavor combination and 
5 



6 OUR UXIOXS. 

co-operation is manifested. The unions are the or- 
ganizations through which chiefly the best Christian 
Endeavor methods and the most advanced ideas of 
the organization can be spread. In the great gather- 
ings of the State unions as well as in the crowded 
rallies of the local unions, the enthusiasm of large 
numbers is brought to the smallest and most strug- 
gling society. 

Through the machinery of the local union the 
strength of the better equipped societies is commu- 
nicated to the weaker ones, with no loss to the former. 
These unions are provocative of emulation to noble 
deeds. By wise use of them, the Christian ministers 
and the strong laymen of every community are en- 
abled to influence far more than they otherwise 
would. As shown in many sections of this book, 
the practical working of State and local unions binds 
together the young people of any denomination for 
denominational purposes. These unions are train- 
ing schools in co-operation and practical organiza- 
tion, and give the young people an education along 
these important lines that will prove invaluable to 
the church of a decade hence. 

The social uses of these Christian Endeavor unions 
are manifold. Further, they unify the religious forces 
of a city for moral ends, since in not a few communi- 
ties they afl"ord the only working platform that draws 
together all the Protestant elements of a town or 
district. 

All of these gains are to be obtained, of course, 
only in proportion as the union is carried on wisely, 



ORGANIZING A UNION. 7 

and in accordance with the results of the best experi- 
ence. To give this, so far as my observation and 
acquaintance with many unions and union workers 
will permit me, is the purpose of this book. 

Organizing a Union. — In localities where no 
local union exists and where the societies are too 
few, or think they are too few, to form a union, a 
good step toward it is an informal meeting called 
for the purpose of discussing Christian Endeavor 
means and methods. Such meetings may be made 
profitable even if no more than two societies exist in 
a community, and they will soon grow- into local 
unions. Indeed, it is my belief that a regularly 
organized local union of no more than two societies 
can do admirable work, so admirable that the union 
will soon come to consist of more societies. 

The First Conferences. — The steps to be taken 
in the organization of a Christian Endeavor union 
are very simple. Let those interested in the move- 
ment consult the pastors at the outset and obtain 
their co-operation, consulting also the leaders of 
the societies and getting an informal expression of 
opinion. 

If this is, on the whole, favorable, appoint a time 
and place where the pastors and the presidents of 
the societies that would be expected to join the 
proposed union may meet, and form a plan for the 
initial gathering. To this gathering should be in- 
vited all the societies. The first thing after a tem- 
porary organization, the appointment of president 
and secretary, should come a brief address explain- 



8 OUR UNIOXS. 

ing the advantages to be gained from a Christian 
Endeavor union. Following this the matter should 
be put to vote, whether the societies there present 
desire to form a Christian Endeavor union. Brief 
remarks upon this topic may be made by the pas- 
tors and prominent Endeavorers, and as soon as an 
affirmative vote has been taken, a committee on 
constitution should be appointed. 

The Constitution. — This committee should have 
before it a constitution already prepared by repre- 
sentatives from the societies. The constitution of a 
union at its starting out should be exceedingly sim- 
ple, and it will not take long for the committee to 
agree upon its fundamental articles. A caution is in 
place against the adoption of too much machiner}* at 
the start. Let it all come as a natural growth, and 
then it will be effective. While the committee is de- 
liberating, the mass meeting should be listening to 
addresses on important Christian Endeavor matters. 

At the close of the meeting the committee on con- 
stitution will make its report, the election of officers 
should be held, and a time and place fixed, if possi- 
ble, for the next mass meeting, or the union may 
leave that to be determined by the executive com- 
mittee. 



THE CONSTITUTION. 



CHAPTER II. 

THE CONSTITUTION. 

I GIVE below the forms of constitution recom- 
mended for State and local unions. It will be un- 
derstood, of course, that these are mere outlines, to 
be filled out and modified as local needs may require. 

CONSTITUTION FOR STATE UNIONS. 

Article I. — Name. 

The name of this Union shall be The Chris- 
tian Endeavor Union. 

Article II. — Object. 
The object of the union shall be to stimulate an interest 
in Young People's Societies of Christian Endeavor and in 
local unions of the same in this State, and to promote 
their efficiency as factors in Christian life and church work 
by bringing them into closer relationship with one another 
through conferences, reports, and correspondence. 

Article III. — Members. 
Any society of Christian Endeavor, connected with an 
evangelical church in this State, whose constitution, in its 
aims and in its prayer-meeting obligations, conforms sub- 
stantially in spirit to what is known as ** The Model Con- 



lO OUR UNIONS. 

stitntion," may join in this union on its own vote to do so, 
communicated in writing to the secretary of this union, 
and approved by its executive committee. The members 
of any society belonging to this union will be entitled to 
all its privileges- 

Article IV. — Officers. 

The officers of this onion shall be a president, three 
vice-presidents, secretary, and treasurer, whose duties 
shall be those usually belonging to such officers ; also six 
directors who, with the above officers, shall constitute an 
executive committee, having charge of all business not 
otherwise provided for. The officers and directors shall 
be chosen at each annual convention, and shall begin 
their terms of service at the close of the convention at 
which they are elected. 

Article V. — Meetings, 

{a) The executive committee shall arrange the time, 
place, and programrce f:r . r.-ual convention of this 

union. 

(Ji) The executive :: : : rt r: - 7 also provide for 
meetings of a part c: :ni umi-^ Lz^z^ti a call for a dis- 
trict convention at such place and time as they deem 
best. 

{c) Hie object of these meetings shall be instruction, 
inspiration, and fellowship, but not legislation. As this 
union cannot be held responsible for the fellowship of 
young people outside of the ranks of the Christian En- 
deavor societies, and in order that the union may not be 
used for partisan purposes, no delegate shall be appointed 
to other bodies, nor received from other bodies. 



THE CONSTITUTION. II 

Article VI. — Fhiance. 

The expenses of the union shall be met by the free- 
will offering of the societies, and no tax or assessment 
shall be levied upon the members. 

Article VII . — Districts, 

The executive committee may divide the State into dis- 
tricts, and appoint over each a district secretary, whose 
duties shall be to assist in organizing new societies when 
called upon, to report such new societies to the State 
secretary, and do what he can to arouse and increase the 
interest in Christian Endeavor work. 

Article VIII. — Amendments, 

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote 
at any meeting of this union, provided notice of the pro- 
posed amendment was inserted in the call for that meet- 
ing, or was given at the previous meeting. 

FORM OF CONSTITUTION FOR A LOCAL 
UNION. 

Article I. — N'ame, 

This Union shall be called the Christian 

Endeavor Union. 

Article II. — Object. 

The object of the Union shall be to stimulate the inter- 
est in societies of Christian Endeavor in 

and vicinity, to increase their mutual acquaintance, and 
to make them more useful in the service of God. 



OUR UNIONS. 



Article III. — Members, 



Any society of Christian Endeavor connected with an 

evangeHcal church in and vicinity, whose 

constitution in its aims and prayer-meeting obligations 
conforms generally in spirit to '' The Model Constitution," 
may join this union by notifying the secretary and upon 
approval by the executive committee. 

Article IV. — Officers, 

The officers shall be a president, vice-president, secre- 
tary, and treasurer. The president, vice-president, secre- 
tary, and treasurer shall be selected from active members, 
and shall serve one year, remaining in office until their 
successors are elected. All the presidents of the Christian 
Endeavor societies forming this union shall be vice-presi- 
dents of this union. The president, vice-presidents, 
secretary, and treasurer shall constitute an executive com- 
mittee to provide for the general interests of the union. 

Article V. — Lookout Committee, 

A lookout committee shall be appointed, whose duty 
shall be to organize new societies wherever possible, to 
bring new societies into the union, and introduce them to 
the work, and to encourage and help the weaker societies 
rs opportunity offers. 

Article VI. — Meetings, 

This society shall hold meetings at such times and 
places as may be determined by the executive committee. 
The president may call special meetings of the executive 
committee when he may deem it necessary. 



THE CONSTITUTION. 1 3 

Article VII. — Duties of Officers. 

The duties of the president, vice-president, secretary, 
and treasurer shall be the duties usually pertaining to 
these offices. 

Article VIII. — Finance, 

The expenses of the union shall be met by the free-will 
offerings of the societies, and no tax or assessment shall 
be levied upon the members. 

Article IX. — Aniendments. 

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote 
of all the active members present at any regular meeting, 
the amendment having been submitted in writing, and 
notice having been given at least two weeks before action 
is taken. 

Local Changes. — Two important features of the 
above constitutions are urged upon all unions, namely, 
the restrictions as to membership, which alone can 
make the unions homogeneous and eifective, and the 
mode by which the expenses of the union are to be 
met, i.e.^ by free-will offerings. Only one local union 
committee is provided for ; similar articles should be 
added for the other committees desired. The com- 
position of the executive committee, both of local 
and State unions, varies greatly, and several modes 
of formation are suggested in this manual. 

Union Divisions. — Our large city unions have 
found it necessary in almost every case to form sub- 
divisions which hold frequent gatherings, the entire 



14 OUR UNIONS. 

union coming together only once or twice a year. 
The obvious mode of subdivision is by localities, 
such as the North Side, South Side, and West Side 
divisions of Chicago, and the district divisions of 
New York. In addition, it may be necessary, as in 
Philadelphia, which has its German Christian En- 
deavor Union, to make divisions based upon lan- 
guage. These divisions have their own sets of 
officers, closely affiliated, of course, with the central 
officers of the union. 

Get a Supply. — In a good many local unions, 
very few members have a printed copy of the consti- 
tution. The mistake is usually made of not getting 
enough .of these printed at the beginning to last for 
a series of years. There are many savings that do 
not pay, and this is one of them. 



THE PRESIDENT. 15 



CHAPTER III. 

THE PRESIDENT. 

It is important that the president of the Christian 
Endeavor local union should be a good speaker, but 
it is far more important that he be a good executive. 
Fortunate indeed the local union whose presiding 
officer combines these powers. 

If I were asked to name the two qualities most 
useful for the president of a local union, I should say, 
good sense and good humor. With these, he will 
be master of the situation. Of course I am taking 
it for granted that he is a person of deep consecra- 
tion, whose life, with all his powers and possessions, 
time, energies, thoughts, and plans, are wholly given 
up to his Master. He will need quickness of de- 
cision, ingenuity, industry, force. He should be 
fertile in expedients, and persistent in carrying them 
out. But above everything, he should be conse- 
crated, and in the school of consecration he will 
learn what else he needs. 

A Work of Oversight. — The most important 
work of the local union president is not what is very 
often held to be the most important, namely, the 
presidino; at the public meetings, together with the 
preparation for them ; it is the visiting of the local 



l6 OUR UNIONS. 

societies. Each one of them should be visited in 
turn, and as frequently as possible. Modestly let the 
president of the union come in, and take part in the 
meetings briefly, as any other Endeavorer, telling 
the society, however, who he is, and bidding them 
God speed in their work. 

On these visits the president should use his eyes. 
Let him note every good feature in the conduct of 
the society. Let him observe, also, all the defects. 
In fine, let him get as clear an idea of the society as 
he can, in order to help the. society. 

This help is to be given in the meetings of the ex- 
ecutive committee, before whom the president should 
present the result of this systematic visitation of the 
societies. He may discover a general lack in the 
matter of prayer, or of cordiality toward strangers, 
or of interest in the Junior work. Whatever it is 
that he sees the societies to lack, he and the local 
presidents, gathered together in the executive com- 
mittee, should set themselves to remedying. 

Nor should he forget to praise ; and perhaps his 
most valuable contribution to the executive commit- 
tee meeting will be the account of helpful plans with 
which he has become acquainted in the course of -his 
pilgrimage. These, through the presidents met to- 
gether in the executive committee, he is enabled to 
spread through the entire union. 

A Friend. — The president's visits should put him 
in close contact with all the workers. He should 
meet them socially. He should take time to talk 
with them both before and after the meetings. They 



THE PRESIDENT. 1 7 

should come to know him as their friend, and should 
go to him for help and wise suggestions. 

Above all, of course, he should avail himself of 
these visits to become a friend of the pastors. Let 
him learn from them whether their societies are doing 
all they could be expected to do, and let him make 
it plain to the pastors that the local union is their 
agency, seeking to be used of them along whatever 
lines of Christlike work they may wish to turn their 
Endeavorers to. Until the union president has put 
himself in this relation to the pastors, he cannot hope 
for success. 

The vice-president should often accompany the 
president on his rounds, but more often he should 
lessen the presidents work by going alone and re- 
porting to him all incidents and observations. 

Visiting Committees. — Just as one of the chief 
duties of the president of a local society is to visit 
the meetings of the committees of his society, — not 
so frequently as to make them think that he does 
not dare trust them alone, and yet often enough so 
that they will feel his continued interest in them, and 
so that he will keep in complete touch with the work 
of the whole society, — so one of the chief duties of 
the president of a local union is to visit the meetings 
of the union committees, especially the lookout com- 
mittee, of which he should be a member ex officio, 
as the president of a local society is a member, ex 
officio, of his lookout committee. He should work 
closely with the president of the Junior union of the 
town, and should be ex officio member of the execu- 
tive committee of that union. 



l8 OUR UNIONS. 

State Presidents. — Similar suggestions may be 
made to the presidents of State unions. In every 
way these should seek to put themselves in close 
touch with the Endeavorers of the State, and espe- 
cially with the pastors. The county unions need 
the help and inspiration of the State president. He 
should visit as many of these as possible. It will 
help the cause greatly if he can, once in a while, 
cross the State line and attend the Christian En- 
deavor gatherings of other States, carrying to them 
fresh enthusiasm in his every word, and bringing 
home again almost the zest of a trip abroad. Too 
few State presidents make interstate Christian En- 
deavor journeys. 

By a correspondence as wide as his time and 
strength and other duties will permit, the State pres- 
ident will make himself the trusted friend and con- 
fidant of the State and county officers in all their 
Christian Endeavor perplexities and triumphs. The 
pastors throughout the State will come to know him 
as one that has deeply at heart the interests of 
Christ's kingdom, and is seeking to be their ser\'ant 
and the servant of the churches. 

Well Informed. — Both State and local union pres- 
idents, in order to be worthy of the great trust con- 
fided to them, must keep up to date on the movement 
at large, must know how^ societies are being formed 
in lands across the sea, and what new methods have 
been tried and proved by the societies of our own 
land. They should read the best Christian En- 
deavor publications with much care. They should 



THE PRESIDENT. I9 

correspond with other union presidents, or, if time 
is lacking for that, they should get their union sec- 
retaries to correspond with the secretaries of other 
unions, and get from them full accounts of the plans 
found most helpful in other communities. 

It is the duty of the president to circulate Chris- 
tian Endeavor information in all wise ways. Of 
course, whatever Christian Endeavor literature is 
sent to the 'societies should be sent with the consent 
of the pastors. 

All depends on w^hether the president tries to do it 
all himself, or remembers that he is simply to preside 
over the doings of others. If he confines himself 
to inspiring and directing the labors of those under 
his charge, he will not only do far more good to the 
cause, but he will do it far more easily and happily. 

All this without mentioning what many people 
think the main business of the union president — the 
making of a convention programme and the presiding 
over the convention. And yet I would not convey the 
impression that I consider of slight importance these 
meetings in which so much lasting good is done, and 
from which so many thousands of noble young peo- 
ple get impulses toward the eternal life. Indeed, an 
entire section of this book is devoted to this subject, 
and little need be said about it here. 

Planning the Convention. — To be a success, a 
convention — whether local union or State union — 
must be planned out carefully, and long before it 
comes off. Conventions are helpful in proportion as 
they are prayed over and thought over beforehand. 



20 OUR UNIONS. 

Have method in your convention. Know what you 
want and expect it to teach. Have derinite results 
you count on to come from it. 

Introduce as many strong features as you c:;n, tak- 
ing care, however, to avoid confusion, and to leave 
upon the Endeavorers a clear and abiding impres- 
sion. In particular, make all your arrangements long 
before the convention, so as to avoid, as far as pos- 
sible, that bustling around the platform that mars so 
many gatherings, and takes the point from so many 
noble addresses. 

Managing a Convention. — A few words about con- 
ducting a convention. Think over the programme 
beforehand. Taking the topics and speakers one 
by one, plan the points you wiU make in intro- 
ducing each speaker and in closing each discussion. 
Half of an address or debate or open parliament 
is in the introduction, and good introductions do 
not come impromptu. In this part of the presid- 
ing officer's work the chief necessity is good humor. 
No, there is one thing more important still, and 
that is brevity. A good president wOI occasionally 
sum up and emphasize a good address, and clinch it 
so tightly in the memory that everybody will carry 
away its main points ; and he will do it in a sentence. 

Keep order. Keep order. Do not for a moment 
allow a few ill-bred chatterers or restless aisle-trot- 
ters to cheat half the assembly of the good they have 
come for. Be a regular autocrat. The best presid- 
ing officer I ever saw out-czared the czar. Between 
the addresses he gave ample opportunity for getting 



THE PRESIDENT. 2 1 

Up and going out, but if there was the least disturb- 
ance during an address, his threatening gavel ^Yas 
shaken at the offender, and, if necessary, the speaker 
was stopped and a public rebuke administered, fol- 
lowed by the delighted applause of the audience. 
All this was done with a rare good humor that speed- 
ily won the hearts of the great assembly — the lar- 
gest body of teachers convened up to that time in 
the history of the world. 

Minimize business. Get your committees ready 
beforehand if possible. Keep on time. If a speaker 
is not there when he should be, do not wait for him, 
but shift the programme so as to keep things mov- 
ing, and quietly send a picked force of able-bodied 
Endeavorers after the delinquent. 

And finally — for some end must be made of a 
really interminable matter — never forget that you 
stand toward your speakers in the relation of host. 
It is yours to make them feel at home. Put them 
at the start on good terms with their audience. Win 
for them a warm reception. At the close of their 
address, say a few words of honest appreciation, and 
show that you mean them. This is only the reward 
that is their due. 

Union Mottoes. — The president of the union will 
impart a good deal of inspiration to the year's work 
by proposing for it a definite motto such as the three 
set before Pennsylvania societies one year. They 
were: *' One thousand new societies this year;" 
" One soul saved for every member;" ** More spir- 
itual power in conventions and societies." These 



2 2 OUR UNIONS. 

mottoes should usually be briefer than the forego- 
ing, and they should always express some definite 
purpose. 

The Ex-Presidents. — ]\Iany local and State unions 
fail to utilize after the close of their term of office the 
experience of the past presidents. They should al- 
ways be brought into definite and close connection 
with the w^ork of their successors. An advisory 
board might be formed, consisting of the ex-presi- 
dents of the union, but it is probably a better plan 
for the ex-presidents to be members of the executive 
committee for three years after the close of their 
terms of office. 

Overlapping. — Care should be taken that the sec- 
retaries of the various districts into which the State 
may be divided are appointed some time before the 
election of a new State president. This is in order 
that the State officers may begin their w^ork with the 
advantage of local assistants and correspondents who 
have had some experience and training. 



THE VICE-PRESIDENT. 23 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE VICE-PRESIDENT. 

The chief exhortation regarding the office of vice- 
president should be made to the president, who is 
urged to make constant use of this officer, who is too 
often permitted to remain a nonentity. He should 
aid the president in the matter of visiting the societies 
and in carrying out his plans, as is insisted on in 
the section regarding the president. He should know 
the president's work as well as the president himself, 
cind in fact, in the ideal union, the vice-president 
will be, during his entire term of office, in training 
for the presidency, and will be thought of as the 
president's natural and almost inevitable succes- 
sor. 

For this purpose let the president once in a w^hile 
get the vice-president to preside at the meetings of 
the executive committee and at the mass meetings, 
even though he himself may be present. 

Denominational Vice-Presidents. — Every State 
union should recognize the denominations that com- 
pose it, and the best way to do this and promote the 
growth of Christian Endeavor in these denominations 
is by the appointing each year of one vice-president 
from each denomination. 



24 OUR UNIONS. 

These denominational vice-presidents should be 
well distributed over the State, and they will form a 
splendid cabinet of officers for the president. They 
will be the natural leaders of Christian Endeavor 

work in their districts. 



THE SECRETARY. 2^ 



CHAPTER V. 

THE SECRETARY. 

Of course, the duty of the union secretary, as of 
all secretaries, is to keep a record of all business 
transacted by the union. He should also be the 
secretary of the executive committee. His reports 
of the union meetings should be far removed from 
the ordinary dull routine. They should have liter- 
ary qualities. They should be bright and attractive, 
and make everybody that hears them wish he had 
been present at the meeting .described, if he was 
not. 

Besides this, the union secretary should get returns 
from all the societies in the union, giving certain 
statistics. Those most commonly desired are the 
number of members of all classes, the number of 
accessions to each class during the year, the num- 
ber of Endeavorers that have joined the church dur- 
ing the year, the societies' gifts to missions and in 
what direction they have given, the names of the reg- 
ular committees of the societies, the average society 
attendance on the regular church services, as well as 
any special features of interest connected with the 
work of the societies. 

It is the secretary's business to write to the speak- 



26 OUR UNIONS. 

ers selected to address the union meeting, and obtain 
their consent. He will put through the printing of 
the programme. It should be his work to corre- 
spond with the secretaries of other unions, obtaining 
some account of their most important plans and 
methods. 

The State Secretary. —The work of the State 
secretary is the same in its general outline as that 
of the local union secretary, except that, instead of 
corresponding with each society, he gets his sta- 
tistics from the heads of county, district and city 
unions. His work during the convention is far from 
easy. He is often the timekeeper, and should accom- 
plish his difficult task with tact yet with firmness, 
since the entire success of many a convention 
hinges upon the timekeeper. Then it is he that 
makes the announcements, and for this he must 
muster a voice like a fog-horn. 

Suggestion Sheets. — These suggestion sheets 
should be prepared by the secretary of the union, 
and they will be equally valuable whether prepared 
by the State secretary to be sent among the secre- 
taries of the district and county unions, or by the 
latter officers to be distributed among the local so- 
cieties. These suggestion sheets are sent out with 
notices of conventions and State and district Chris- 
tian Endeavor work. In each issue a request is 
made for new plans and ideas, to be given wider 
circulation in later suggestion sheets. Here is a 
sample suggestion sheet that came from Massachu- 
setts : — 



THE SECRETARY. 27 

The missionary committee arranges a missionary 
meeting once a month. Africa is to be the subject 
of a series of talks. The first was geographical 
in its nature. A map drawn by one of the members 
was used. — North Church, New Bedford. 

A society of New Bedford has a " glad-to-see-you 
committee." The name explains its object. 

The Winslow Church, Taunton, is opened every 
Friday evening for the promotion of sociability. 
The social feature of two of these evenings in each 
month is in charge of the Y. P. S. C. E. 

At one time our pastor and several young men 
of our society promised each other that we would 
sit at various places in the room upon prayer-meet- 
ing night, and when the leader called for prayers 
we would respond, allowing no waste time, The 
same was also pledged in regard to testimonies. — 
Middle Street Christia7t society. New Bedford, 

A conundrum social, held by the Second Congre- 
gational Society of Attleboro, afforded much pleas- 
ure. One hundred conundrums pasted about the 
room kept all busy for an hour. 

The Secretary's Letter. — When the secretary, 
whether of a county or a State union, has occasion 
to write to the societies, let him remember that 
the fewer words he uses, the more likely he is to 
be heeded. It is the long, tedious communications 
that are read carelessly and are not likely to be 
brought before the society. 

If you do not use a typewriter, take care to write 
with great plainness, especially when you come to 
your own signature. If you do not use a letter-head, 
state what office you hold, and give your address. 
Enclose a stamped and self-directed envelope when 



28 OUR UNIONS. 

you expect a reply, unless you are writing to some 
one who you know has the interests of the cause 
at heart as much as you. 

When you write to speakers asking them to 
address the convention, be sure you tell them that 
their expenses will be paid. 

Christian Endeavor Circuits. — Some secretaries 
of district unions — and the plan is valuable for local 
unions, and, with certain obvious limitations, for 
State unions — make a practice once a year of visit- 
ing thoroughly and systematically every society in 
their field. Arrangements must be made beforehand 
for meetings to be held at the times most convenient 
for the secretary. There may be two meetings a 
day, — a union committee conference, and a public 
meeting in the evening. 

To meet the expenses of such a trip, the societies 
will be glad to make a small contribution each. In 
no other way can the district worker gain so full a 
knowledge of the needs and personnel of the socie- 
ties. 

Christian Endeavor Maps. — Every union secre- 
tary should draw an outline map of his district, 
placing upon it dots representing each Christian 
Endeavor society. In this way he can best get an 
idea of the portions of his district that require more 
work. He will know what places are most central 
for the holding of conventions. If the map is large 
enough to be seen over a good-sized room, it will' be 
inspiring to add stars as new societies come into the 
union. 



THE SECRETARY. 29 

Pay Their Expenses. — When your union invites 
any one to make an extended address before it, you 
should take care that all his expenses are paid. If 
he is a Christian Endeavorer, he will not expect any 
further payment, of course ; but he has given in the 
preparation of the address far more than the union 
will give in money. 

He may express a willingness to pay his ow^n 
expenses, but it is better for the union to insist on 
paying them. When one gives many Christian 
Endeavor addresses, the expenses, though small in 
any single case, amount in the aggregate to quite a 
sum. This payment of expenses should be made 
as promptly as possible. Do not wait several days 
after the address before you attend to the matter. 



30 OUR UNIONS. 



CHAPTER VI. 

THE TREASURER AND FINANCE 

No officer of any Christian Endeavor union, local, 
county, or State, should receive any salary. That is 
a poor union, indeed, and greatly lacking in the 
spirit of Christian Endeavor, that cannot furnish 
young men and women to do this blessed work as 
a gift to the Master's cause. No dues should be 
levied, and, in general, little money should be re- 
quired or expended. Some money is needed to pay 
the expenses of speakers, and to pay for programmes, 
postage, circulars, free literature for the spread of the 
movement, and other necessary expenses. 

The small amount needed can usually be raised by 
collections at the public meetings. Where this is 
not sufficient, give the societies an opportunity to 
make voluntary offerings. This is best done through 
the executive committee, on which is some author- 
ized member from each society. This committee 
knows just what will be needed, and in a few min- 
utes the few dollars necessary can here be ob- 
tained. 

The same remarks apply to the treasurer of the 
State union. All officers serve from love of the 
cause, and receive no pay. The small sum neces- 



THE TREASURER AND FINANCES. 3 1 

sary to carry on the State work can be obtained by 
voluntary pledges made at the convention, or through 
the State executive committee. 

One Way of Raising Money. — Notify the soci- 
eties before the convention that their delegates will 
be expected to come prepared to pledge the society 
to pay a certain amount of money for the expenses 
of the union during the year. It will be better, of 
course, for the delegates to come with the money 
ready to hand it to the treasurer. 

Establish in some central place a box with a slit 
in it, where these pledges can be deposited. The 
treasurer should be at an office at some convenient 
hour for the reception of money. 

This is a straightforward and simple way of rais- 
ing the little money needed for the union work, and 
it is the best way to adopt. 



2,2 OUR UNIONS. 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 

The executive committee of the local union should 
consist of the presidents of all the societies in the 
union. If it is a small union, there should also be 
from each society one or two delegates to be ap- 
pointed by the society president. 

The executive committee is to pass upon all 
matters of business before they are brought to 
the attention of the union. All communications 
should be referred to this committee by the sec- 
retary. 

The Mass Meeting. — The meetings of the com- 
mittee should be held at least as often as the mass 
meetings of the union, and at some time before. 
At these meetings the committee should decide upon 
the general plan of the coming union meeting ; for 
instance, that the topic of Junior work shall be 
prominent, or that it shall be a missionary even- 
ing. 

A sub-committee, on which should be some repre- 
sentatives from the church whose guests the union 
will be at the coming meeting, should be placed in 
charge of the programme. Let the members of the 
executive committee feel free to give suggestions to 



THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. ;^^ 

this sub-committee regarding the speakers or topics. 
The president of the union should, of course, be one 
of the members of this sub-committee, and the secre- 
tary of the union should be another. 

A Discussion. — At the meeting of the executive 
committee, the president or some earnest Endeavorer 
should present a paper or make a short address 
touching upon some practical topic connected with 
the work of the union. This paper should be fol- 
lowed by a discussion or open parliament, whose 
theme may be connected with the address just listened 
to, or may be some general topic like *' The needs of 
my society," or *' The best plan recently carried 
out by my society." It would be well to have the 
chairman of the committees that are to report at 
the coming union meeting read their reports at the 
executive committee meeting, for criticism and 
suggestions. 

The members of the executive committee should 
represent the union in their own societies. They 
should seek to get the members of the society to 
attend the union meetings, should report those meet- 
ings to the society for the benefit of non-attendants, 
and should push through the societies the practical 
recommendations of the local union, as well as the 
annual calls of the union for financial support. 

Report the Executive Committee Meeting, — Not 
unfrequently it happens that some societies are not 
represented at the executive committee meeting of 
the local union^ It is precisely these societies that 
are likely to be in greatest need of the.inspiration and 



34 OUR UNIONS. 

practical guidance of the committee meeting. Some 
one should be deputed to report this meeting before 
the society not represented. If this is not practicable, 
the president of the union or the secretary should 
write a letter containing a summary of the most im- 
portant doings of the executive committee, and this 
letter should be sent to be read before the societies 
that were not represented. 

An Advisory Board. — Local unions will gain 
strength and stability if they appoint advisory boards 
composed of the pastors of the churches represented 
in the union, and, if the union is small enough to 
make it wise, of one church officer from each church, 
in addition. Before this board should be laid all 
matters relative to aggressive methods of work before 
the plans are adopted and put into active operation. 

The appointment of this advisory board will empha- 
size the fact that Christian Endeavor respects church 
authorities, and is in all points subordinate to the 
church. It will prove a safeguard against jealousy 
on the part of church officers, and against error on 
the part of the young people, who frequently pos- 
sess more zeal than knowledge. Best of all, it will 
make the union more efficient, because its officers 
will be brought in constant touch with the leaders 
of Christian work in the community., 

State Executive Committee Meetings. — Do you 
find it hard to get full attendance at the meetings of 
the State executive committee? Try the Ohio plan. 
In that progressive State union the annual meetings 
of the executive committee are held in connection 



THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 35 

with conventions of large local or county unions, the 
programmes of which are made up of addresses from 
the able ministers of seventeen or eighteen evangeli- 
cal denominations that make up the executive com- 
mittee. This plan works exceedingly well. 



36 OUR UNIONS. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE LOOKOUT COMMITTEE. 

The work of the union lookout committee corre- 
sponds closely in all details to that of the local Chris- 
tian Endeavor society lookout committee. The 
president of the union should be a member ex officio, 
but should not be its chairman. It is best, unless 
the union is too large, to make the membership of 
the committee consist of the presidents of all the 
societies. In case any president is too busy to serve, 
let him appoint one of the most active members of 
his society to take his place. If the union is so large 
that this would make an unwieldy committee, then 
take pains to see that all sections of the city are well 
represented. Not all of the members of this com- 
mittee should be young men. The counsels of the 
young women will also be needed. 

The committee should meet certainly once a month, 
and when they are getting to work, at the beginning 
of the Christian Endeavor year, they should meet 
oftener. 

A Reconnaissance. — The first thing for the union 
lookout committee to do is to take a survey of the 
field. In the ideal lookout committee each society 
will have a representative. Place before this rep- 



THE LOOKOUT COMMITTEE. 37 

resentative the following questions, which may be 
added to as the chairman of the committee desires. 

1. Have you a Junior Society of Christian Endeavor? 

2. What standing committees has your society? 

3. How much did you give last year to missions, and 
how was the money raised? 

4. What per cent of your membership are young men ? 

5. What per cent of your members attend as a rule all 
the regular church meetings? 

6. In what particulars are your members most likely 
to fail to keep the pledge? 

7. How many associate members have you, and what 
use do you make of them? 

8. How many of your active members are church 
members ? 

9. How many Christian Endeavor and denominational 
papers are taken in your society, and what are they? 

10. What practical work is your society doing, such as 
relief work? 

11. What committees that your society has not now do 
you think it needs? 

12. What are some of the especial difficulties and 
troubles with which your society has to contend? 

Require each member of the lookout committee to 
write out full answers to these questions, taking time 
to gather the facts. These reports should be handed 
in to the chairman on a certain date, and after he 
has had time to collate the information he should 
call a meeting of the lookout committee for the con- 
sideration of what these reports may disclose. He 
may see, for example, that there is a great need of 



38 OUR UNIONS. 

united effort for the increase of the number of Junior 
societies in the union. He may see that the useful 
plan of the information committee is not appreciated 
by the societies of his town. He may see a great 
need of press committees, or of music committees. 
It may become manifest that very few of the mem- 
bers of the union are giving to missions systemati- 
cally. The union may contain few associate members, 
or may b2 doing very little work for what associates 
it has. All of these the president will lay before the 
executive committee in a clear-cut report, backing up 
his statement with facts and figures taken from the 
reports of the members. 

Utilizing the Facts. — Then will follow a discus- 
sion concerning ways and means of remedying the 
difficulties, or filling out the need. Suggestions for 
the next union meeting will be gained from this in- 
vestigation. It may be best, for example, to occupy 
this entire meeting with a presentation of the Junior 
work — the blessedness of it and the need of it, the 
best Junior workers from the city and from neigh- 
boring cities being put in requisition. Sometimes 
only a single address at the union meeting, or an 
open parliament, may be enough. Or it may be suf- 
ficient to get from the United Society of Christian 
Endeavor literature on the subject, and distribute it 
throughout the societies. Or, if the need is a slight 
one, it may be met by private conversations or by 
letters. The mere fact that representatives of each 
society have been brought clearly to see the need 
will aid greatlv in meetino^ it. 



THE LOOKOUT COMMITTEE. 39 

New Societies. — As the local lookout committee 
is concerned with the gaining of new members, so 
the union lookout committee has to do with the for- 
mation of new societies, and their admission to the 
union. Early in its years work the committee will 
take a census of the churches of the city, discovering 
what churches are without Christian Endeavor soci- 
eties, and in how many churches Christian Endeavor 
societies can probably be planted. 

All work should be done with the cooperation of 
the pastors. After the facts are gained, certain mem- 
bers of the union lookout committee should call upon 
the pastors armed with literature and full informa- 
tion, and should endeavor to set before them clearly 
the advantages to be gained from Christian Endeavor 
societies. If you can interest neighboring pastors in 
the matter, you will find their aid most effective. 

Organizing. — If the pastor desires to organize a 
Christian Endeavor society, the lookout committee of 
the union should offer to assist in the organization. 
If the offer is accepted, let the lookout committee 
appoint a delegation, consisting of the president of 
the union, or the chairman of the lookout committee, 
and a set of workers from the churches near by. 

The young people of the church being gathered 
by invitation, a good speaker should explain to them 
the object of the society, the workings of the Chris- 
tian Endeavor pledge and of the committees, and 
then proceed to organize, as explained in the United 
Society^s leaflets regarding organization. 

After the new society is formed, the lookout com- 



40 OUR UNIONS. 

mittee should propose to the union that it be ad- 
mitted. Their work does not by any means end 
here, however. The members of the committee 
should visit the society often, consulting frequently 
with its officers, and use every effort to introduce the 
best methods and set the new society fully on its 
feet. 

Out Districts. — Lookout committees of local 
unions have before them a wide and frequently en- 
tirely unoccupied field in the country districts, where 
there are no churches, but where, with very little 
effort, a Christian Endeavor society could be started. 
These country societies, though small, do a blessed 
work, and often constitute a nucleus about which a 
church grows up. This has been the history of not 
a few useful churches throughout our land. 

Besides this, the lookout committee should remem- 
ber that the society finds one of its chief fields of 
usefulness in schools, especially in seminaries, acade- 
mies, and colleges. JMany of the young people here 
gathered are Endeavorers when at home, but their 
interest in the society and connection with its work 
is likely to lapse sadly if there is no society in the 
school where they spend the greater part of the year. 
Of course, it is best if they will connect themselves 
with the societies of some church where they sojourn, 
but this is not always possible, and there is in almost 
every school a fair opening for a union Christian 
Endeavor society containing members of all denomi- 
nations. The union lookout committee should also 
keep its eyes open for an opportunity of organizing 



THE LOOKOUT COMMITTEE. 4I 

societies in orphans' homes, asylums, poorhouses, 
among railroad men, news boys, and similar classes 
that are too often neglected. 

Evangelism. — Local unions can do a great deal 
of evangelistic work, and this falls appropriately 
within the province of the union lookout committee. 
Whatever is done here should be done with the 
fullest co-operation of the pastors, or not at all. In 
many communities the Christian Endeavor union 
has engaged an evangelist, and under its auspices 
union evangelistic meetings have been held, with 
the very best results. Sometimes the union under- 
takes missions in neglected portions of the city, 
either supporting a missionary, or itself carrying on 
missionary meetings. 

In order that the lookout committee may keep 
posted regarding the field, they, as well as the presi- 
dent of the union, should make frequent visits to 
neighboring societies. They should keep themselves 
thoroughly informed, by careful reading of the liter- 
ature of the United Society, regarding the best 
methods of society work. 

Reports. — Special pains should be taken with 
the reports, through which, at every meeting of the 
local union, the lookout committee should present 
its plans and suggestions. These reports should be 
written by the best writer in the committee. They 
should be breezy and earnest and suggestive, and 
should, whenever they present an especially impor- 
tant point, be made the basis of an open parliament. 

And the more complete and public are the reports 



42 OUR UNIONS. 

required from the societies composing a local union, 
the better will the work of those societies be likelv 
to be. No society will be willing to present a record 
showing poor work. It has happened not seldom 
that when a public report was required of the so- 
cieties, some of the societies begged for a reprieve, 
a postponement of investigation, until they could 
make a better showing. In a few weeks they were 
heard from with reports of more vigorous work. 

Let the union lookout committee seek definite re- 
sults, — not too many of them, but definites ones, — 
and then let it persevere until it gets them. 



THE MISSIONARY COMMITTEE. 43 



CHAPTER IX. 

THE MISSIONARY COMMITTEE. 

A Caution. — In undertaking union work outside 
of distinctive Christian Endeavor lines, such as mis- 
sionary, good citizenship, evangelistic work, etc., 
great care should be taken to go so far and only so 
far as the pastors and churches approve. If any 
church is not willing that its society should enter 
upon any special work of this sort, the society should 
of course drop out, though in other lines it co- 
operates with the union. 

There will be few occasions, I believe, when 
churches or pastors will object to their societies en- 
tering upon sensible and well-considered plans for 
the advancement of the kingdom, but they should 
always be consulted. For this purpose an advisory 
board of pastors, before recommended, is most de- 
Hrable. 

As to the composition of this committee, for large 
cities the Philadelphia plan is a good one. In Phil- 
adelphia, the union missionary committee consists 
of committees from each denomination, represented 
in the union, that cares to organize them. For ex- 
ample, the Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists 
have strong union missionary committees. The chief 



44 OVR UNIONS. 

officers of these denominational union committees 
constitute the union missionary committee. 

The denominational committees in Philadelphia 
are thoroughly organized. For example, there is a 
division that has charge of missionary lectures, ob- 
taining missionaries from the denomination to ad- 
dress the societies and churches. Another division 
zealously aims to keep the societies in touch v^'hh 
the mission boards, and the boards with the socie- 
ties. Another is an information sub-committee, and 
stands ready to answer any questions, and to sug- 
gest methods of missionary study and activity. Still 
another has charge of a magic lantern and sets of 
slides bearing on mission fields, and is prepared to 
give interesting missionary lectures whenever called 
upon. 

For Small Towns. — This plan, the ideal one for 
a large city union, is, of course, out of the question 
for small towns. Here the union missionary com- 
mittee should be composed of the chairmen of the 
local missionary committees, or of one member from 
each society, when the chairman cannot serve. 

Missionary Mass Meetings. — The work of the 
union missionary committee is varied and exceed- 
ingly important. I will speak merely of some of the 
endeavors that have actually been undertaken and 
accomplished within my knowledge. The commit- 
tee may get the societies to combine and obtain ex- 
ceedingly fine missionary speakers for the purpose 
of holding a union missionary mass meeting. These 
mass meetings are of the greatest value though only 



THE MISSIONARY COMMITTEE. 45 

one meeting can be held, but in many places the en- 
tire Sabbath is made a missionary day, the pastors 
in all the churches that enter into the arrangement 
preaching missionary sermons in the morning, and 
conferences of missionary workers from all the so- 
cieties meeting in the afternoon, presided over by 
the speaker of the evening, while in the evening, in 
some large hall, is held a grand missionary mass 
meeting, whose audience is composed of all the soci- 
eties and congregations that join in the effort. No 
collections are taken up at these mass meetings, and 
the purpose is entirely to get and give inspiration. 
The cost of getting the speaker, w^hich would usu- 
ally be merely his expenses, is divided among the 
various societies. 

Systematic Beneficence. — The union missionary 
committee should^ occasionally institute simultaneous 
efforts along the line of systematic beneficence. Col- 
lect statistics to find out how many tithe-givers there 
are in the different societies. Distribute leaflets, 
pointed and heart-searching, bearing on this matter. 
Appoint a night on which this subject shall be 
brought to the especial attention of the societies. 
Get each society, if possible, to appoint a special 
committee on systematic beneficence, for the pur- 
pose of agitation and personal work. 

The union missionary committee may fittingly col- 
lect for the union secretary the statistics of the differ- 
ent societies in the matter of missionary giving, — 
how much each has given in the course of the year, 
to what objects it has gone, and in what manner the 



46 OUR UNIONS. 

money has been raised. A banner may be offered 
by this committee to the society that contains the 
greatest proportionate number of systematic givers. 

Missionary Information. — Much may be done 
by this committee to inspire the study of missions. 
They may urge the formation of clubs for this in- 
spiring study. They may divide among the workers 
the missionary books in the pubHc library for them 
to read and report on, making a list of those that 
prove especially attractive. This list maybe distrib- 
uted among the societies, and will serve as a guide 
to their use of the public library. If the public 
library is deficient in this branch of literature, the 
committee may have influence with the librarian and 
obtain new books. 

A Union Collection. — It will help the missionary 
committees of the local societies if the union com- 
mittee make a collection of missionary maps and 
curios from mission countries and pictures illustrat- 
ing foreign customs and scenes, costumes, etc. 
This collection should be held by the chairman of 
the missionary committee, ready to be loaned to any 
society in wdiole or in part, as the needs of that so- 
ciety demand. 

Union prayer meetings might fittingly be held on 
missionary topics. What more appropriate than 
that the union should pray over the debts of the 
missionary boards, or over some great crisis in mis- 
sionary lands, like that in Japan and China caused 
by the late war, or that in Turkey caused by the 
Armenian massacres ? 



THE MISSIONARY COMMITTEE. 47 

City Missions. — Much may be done by the union 
missionary committee to interest the Endeavorers in 
city missions. If there is no city missionary work, 
they may even undertake it themselves. It is entirely 
within the possibilities of a strong city union to open 
rooms in the slums of the city, wiiere on every even- 
ing of the year there may be a refuge for the young 
men and women and the children. Here pleasant 
games may be found and interesting books and peri- 
odicals, and an occasional bright entertainment may 
be given, the societies taking turns in this service. 
Many city unions would readily furnish 365 young 
men and women to take charge, each for a night, or 
half that number to take charge for two nights each. 
Some unions have undertaken the work of making 
outdoor playgrounds for the poor children of the 
city; others of opening Sunday schools, or establish- 
ing classes in various useful studies and occupations. 

But in many cities the union will be more useful if 
it co-operates with the city missions already estab- 
lished. In Boston, such co-operation in the case of 
one mission sends to that mission every night a del- 
egation from some one of the city societies. Their 
bright songs, and fresh, hearty, sincere testimonies, 
have a strong and elevating effect on the degraded 
specimens of humanity brought together there. But 
the good the young people do in the work is far more 
than equalled by the good each one of them gets 
from it. 

Whatever is said here of the union missionary 
committee applies as well, of course, to a county or 



40 OUR UNIONS. 

district union as to a city union. Moreover, in the 
larger union also the work must be undertaken only 
with the consent of the pastors of the societies en- 
gaged in it. 

State Missionary Superintendents. — ]\Iore and 
more the State, unions are coming to appoint State 
missionary superintendents. The chief work of this 
officer is to co-operate with the union missionary 
committees of the districts, counties, and cities. 
Where these committees arrange missionary rallies, 
it is a great saving of money and time for the rallies 
of neighboring cities and districts to be held on such 
dates that eminent speakers can go from one town 
to another. Their expenses then rest lightly on any 
one community, and they can reach immense num- 
bers of people with but little expenditure of time and 
strength. 

Where the State is not provided well with these 
union missionary committees, the first work of the 
State missionary superintendent is, of course, to see 
that the unions appoint them. At the same time, 
the State superintendent should put himself in 
correspondence with the various boards, acquaint 
himself with their needs and their desires for the 
societies of their own denomination, and at the 
same time learn about as many accessible missionary 
speakers as possible. 



THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE. 49 



CHAPTER X. 

THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE. 

This committee should be composed of one mem- 
ber from each society social committee in the union. 
It is best for this member to be the chairman, but 
wherever this is not possible, let the chairman ap- 
point some efficient and interested Endeavorer from 
his committee. 

Neighborhood Socials. — One of the matters within 
the province of the union social committee is the 
social relation existing between societies in churches 
near to one another in the city. Sometimes the union 
social committee can suggest the holding of neigh- 
borhood union socials in which near-by Endeavor 
societies unite. Those of two or three churches will 
be enough. 

Denominational Socials. — Denominational so- 
cials, wherein all the Baptist Endeavor societies 
of the city meet together, or the Presbyterian, or 
the Congregational, or Methodist societies, are very 
pleasant occasions, and could be carried on under 
no more fit auspices than those of the union social 
committee. Besides, it would be profitable once in 
a while to hold union socials to which shall be in- 
vited only those Endeavorers that are at work along 



50 OUR UNIONS. 

similar Christian Endeavor lines, as, for example, all 
the social committees of the miion, all the prayer- 
meeting committees, and all the missionary work- 
ers of the union. Or, — and this would make a very 
profitable social, — all the associate members of the 
union, in company with all the lookout commit- 
tees. At these socials appropriate exercises should 
be held, which would be a pleasure to devise, so 
many ideas would spring naturally to mind. 

Socials at the Meetings. — But of course the 
main work of the union social committee must 
centre on the socials before and after the public 
meetings of the union. These should be in the 
hands of the members of the society in the church 
where the meeting is held, but the union social 
committee must be ready to give efficient aid. Their 
first duty wiU be to form the acquaintance of as many 
Endeavorers as possible, all over the city. Let them 
introduce themselves, if need be, and then introduce 
to one another those whom they have thus met. As 
the attendants on the union meeting arrive, they 
should be met at the door and given a hearty hand- 
shake. The union social committee, scattering them- 
selves through the church, should tr}' to establish 
pleasant conversations, and make all the attend- 
ants feel at home before the meeting begins. It 
is wonderfiil how much this will help the open 
parliaments and similar exercises that are to be 
held later. 

Refreshments for Body and Mind. — Of course, 
the main social will be held at the conclusion of 



THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE. 5 1 

the formal exercises. Try to make a point to have 
these exercises so short as to leave at least half 
an hour before the time when the members must 
return to their homes. Entertaining societies may- 
like to furnish refreshments. These should not be 
expensive, and should never go beyond, for instance, 
lemonade and wafers, or chocolate and cake, with 
sandwiches. For these refreshments the audience 
will be asked to adjourn to another room, and the 
social committee should promptly start the move- 
ment thither. While the members of the enter- 
taining society are acting as waiters, let the social 
committee go for the wall flowers, and attempt to 
set all the Endeavorers to pleasant conversation. 
Get them to talking, if possible, about their com- 
mittee work, their societies, and their churches. 
Especially bring the members up to the pastors 
and introduce them. 

It is exceedingly important, therefore, that the 
members of the social committee should be on 
hand at every meeting of the union. The longer 
they continue in service, and the more meetings 
they attend in this way, the more valuable they 
will be to the union. 

To Break Up Cliques. — The problem of prevent- 
ing those that come to the union meetings from 
getting together into society cliques, and thus de- 
stroying the true fellowship of the meeting, may be 
solved in this way: Instruct the members of each 
committee to wear ribbons of the same special color. 
Thus, the prayer-meeting committee may wear blue, 



52 OUR UNIONS. 

the lookout, white, the social, red, the flower, green, 
the missionary, purple, and so on. 

At certain points in the meeting-room raise ban- 
ners of these different colors, or cover the globes of 
the gas jets, if they are conveniently situated, with the 
appropriate colors, and require all to seat themselves 
under the light bearing their color. In this way 
workers from different parts of the city will be 
brought together, and will form pleasant acquaint- 
ances on the ground of their common interests. 

The same plan may be utilized in the socials that 
follow the Christian Endeavor mass meetings, and, 
if refreshments are offered, there may be committee 
tables decked in appropriate colors, where the mem- 
bers of each committee may get their refreshments 
together. 

Society Intervisitation. — Some unions keep in 
operation a very thorough system of society inter- 
visitation, whereby, in the course of the year, each 
society will hold a union meeting with every other 
society, either in their own church or elsewhere. 
The schedule for this series of union meetings is 
carefully planned beforehand. Copies of the plan 
are made and given to the president of each society, 
who will see by the schedule just what nights of the 
year his society is expected to meet with other socie- 
ties and what those societies are, telling him also 
when he may expect visits from other societies at 
his own church. 

If the union is a lari^e one. care should be taken 
not to make these visits so numerous as in anv wav 



THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE. 53 

to break into the regular habits of the Endeavorers, 
— their attendance on their own societies and church 
meetings. 

Committee Visitation. — Sometimes the best plan 
of managing inter-society visitation is to provide for 
visits, not by single m.embers, or by the societies as 
a whole ; but by committees. The most appropri- 
ate committee is, of course, the lookout committee ; 
and the union might arrange for visits by the look- 
out committees among neighboring societies. After 
this committee has become acquainted with the so- 
cieties, the prayer-meeting committee might take its 
turn. But, as said before, these visits must be so 
arranged as not to cast any suspicion on the loyalty 
of the members to their own society and their own 
church, else they would better not be made at all. 

Circular Letters. — In local unions where the 
scheme of inter-society visitation is not practical, or 
even in addition to that plan, it v^ould be pleasant 
and helpful to establish a system of circular or 
"Round Robin" letters. Let the president of the 
union write a short, practical, stirring letter to the 
societies under his charge. This letter must be read 
before his home society, and let some one be del- 
egated from this society to write a letter to go with 
it, in a certain fixed order, to a second society. Be- 
fore this society let both letters be read, and a third 
be added in like manner. 

When the letters have made the round of the 
union, and twenty, say, have accumulated, they will 
be handed to the president. He will detach his 



54 OUR UNIONS. 

letter, write a new one, and add it to the pile. In 
this new letter he will comment on the series before 
him, emphasize the good suggestions, add fresh 
hints, and discuss the progress of the work since 
his first letter was written. This, with the twenty 
letters, will go before society No. i, which, after 
detaching its own letter, reading the others, and 
adding a new contribution, will hand the correspond- 
ence to No. 2, and so on, until time shall end. 

The advantages of these circular letters are man- 
ifold. Each society is put in touch and friendly 
rivalry with the whole body. Ideas quickly spread. 
Information is placed before the societies thoroughly 
and effectively. The leaders and the led are put in 
contact. 

There are a few dangers. The letters must by no 
means take the place of frequent meetings together. 
The letters must never descend from a high plane of 
Christian love and humility to braggadocio and ban- 
tering. They may be bright and sometimes witty, 
but should never be burlesque or trivial. They 
should deal largely in ideas and plans, less in sta- 
tistics, still less in complimentary personals. They 
should never be delayed in the hands of any society 
more than one week. Fresh hands should be given 
the work of writing the letter each time, that it may 
remain a pleasure, and not become a burden. Fi- 
nally and chiefly, that the reading of the letters may 
not be a bore to the societies, they should be brief,' 
brief, brief! They must be crisp and condensed. 
Of course the number of societies in the union would 



THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE. 55 

have much to do with the decision of this matter, 
but in most unions it would be best for each society 
to write a letter covering about ten pages of note 
paper, and then, putting the important matter into 
half a dozen sentences, destroy the ten pages ! 

Convention Reunions. — Often exceedingly pleas- 
ant friendships are formed among the attendants 
at the International or State Christian Endeavor 
conventions, and the officers of the union may, once 
a year, form a delightful social gathering of these, 
inviting, for example, all that have ever attended 
an International Christian Endeavor Convention to 
meet at a pertain place to spend an evening together. 
Jovial addresses and cheerful conversation will make 
the time pass swiftly. 



5 6 OUR UNIONS. 



CHAPTER XL 



THE PRESS COMMITTEE. 



The work of the union press committee is so 
closely associated with the work of the press com- 
mittees of the local Christian Endeavor societies 
that the union committee can scarcely proceed far 
until it has organized press committees rn connec- 
tion with each church. These local press commit- 
tees should gather items from the church and 
Sunday school, as well as from the Christian En- 
deavor society. 

There will, of course, be no vainglory in the 
matter. It will simply be the effort of the com- 
mittee to see that the church, the most important 
institution in all the world, is, if possible, as well 
represented in the daily press as prize fights and 
shameful scandals. 

The Local Committee. — The local press com- 
mittee should do all its work in co-operation with 
the pastor. Every society contains members of lit- 
erary ability and with some reportorial instinct, and 
these members should be utilized and kept in the 
service even though they chance to be on other com- 
mittees also. See to it, however, that every local 
press committee has one or two inexperienced mem- 



THE PRESS -COMMITTEE. 57 

bers upon it, in training to take up the work when 
the need shall call for them. The chairmen of these 
local press committees will constitute the press com- 
mittee of the Christian Endeavor union. 

Some Hints for Reporters. — The chairman of 
this union press committee should be a practical 
journalist, if possible. If he is not one, he should 
become one, learning thoroughly from some reporter 
or editor the ins and outs of newspaper work. 

If he wants to make a success of his undertaking, 
he should learn, in the first place, that the fewer 
and shorter the calls he makes upon the editors, 
the better. The manuscript he hands in must be 
written on one side of the paper and in good black 
ink, with liberal spaces between the lines and about 
the edges. His paragraphing and punctuation and 
spelling must be faultless. Moreover, he must learn 
what amount of copy can be used, and never trans- 
gress the limits. He must know just when the copy 
is due, and must be as regular as the sun in hand- 
ing it in. Above all, he must seek in the work of 
his committee to avoid dullness and monotony. No 
''pull" is needed to get his items into the papers, 
provided he manifests in his work the three virtues 
most dear to the hearts of editors, — "business," 
brevity, and brightness. 

System — Co-operation. — If the union press com- 
mittee is at work in a large city, the chairman of 
the committee should divide the papers of the city 
among the members of his committee, each of 
whom takes charge of the Christian Endeavor items 
going to one paper. 



58 OUR UNIONS. 

All news notes should be sent in from the local 
committees to the chairman, who arranges them, 
and makes himself master of their contents. Regu- 
larly all members of the committee should meet and 
should write up their notes together, using the ma- 
terial in the hands of the chairman. Never send 
the same item to two different papers ; always 
change the form and manner of presenting it. 

After the work is done, take some time for mutual 
criticism, and, whenever possible, present your work 
to experts for their judgment. Remember that what- 
ever is worth doing is worth doing well, and the art 
of paragraph-making is among the most difficult of 
arts. 

What to Report. — What kind of items is your 
committee to hand in? You may tell about the vis- 
itors among the families of your congregation, espe- 
cially those of some importance. Make mention of 
the notable sermons of the city pastors, those espe- 
cially that are strong spiritually. Once in a while 
quote some particularly pointed sentences, but no 
more than a sentence or two at a time. When the 
pastors exchange with men from other cities, note 
the fact. Whatever lectures are given in the differ- 
ent churches, whatever mission work is undertaken, 
whatever new plans for church work are formed, 
should be mentioned. Tell about the church socials, 
about the church mission work, the accessions to the 
churches, the good prayer meetings, the new officers, 
the Sunday school, and (of course) the Christian 
Endeavor society. Remember that the editor will 



THE PRESS COMMITTEE. 59 

especially appreciate advance notices of important 
church events that are to come. 

Never put in anything for the purpose of filling 
up. If your committee cannot find enough items of 
genuine interest, you would better conclude that 
journalism is not your business. 

Utilizing the Denominational Papers. — One 
great field of the union press committee is the de- 
nominational papers, and the press committee should 
be divided into sub-committees, one for each denom- 
ination represented in the city, made up of young 
people belonging to those churches. These will 
select from the material in the hands of the chairman 
only such items as will be especially pleasing and 
helpful in their denominational papers, and these 
they will write up as briefly as possible, taking pains 
to preserve the interest. Those members of the 
union committee that are not given special charge of 
the local city papers should be set over this branch 
of the work. Pains should be taken to report to the 
denominational papers all churches, and show no 
favoritism. 

In sending items to the press, notice the form that 
is used in printing the items, and make your manu- 
script correspond to this form. Notice especially the 
kinds of items that are printed, and remember that 
these are an index of the editor's desires. 

Local Union Papers. — I do not feel inclined to 
say very much about local union papers, for the 
reason that I do not believe very much in them, ex- 
cept, possibly, in some of our largest unions ; and 



60 OUR UNIONS. 

even there the local union paper should not take the 
place of press work in other directions. Long and 
thorough observation has convinced me that our 
Endeavorers are to a great extent wasting the money, 
energy, and time they put into local Christian En- 
deavor papers. 

Local Christian Endeavor news can easily be in- 
serted in the local newspapers, and this is a double 
gain : the cost is little or nothing, and the influence of 
the society is many times greater. Rehgious news is 
thus spread throughout the entire community, reach- 
ing non-Christians as well as Christians, while the 
local Christian Endeavor paper would go only to the 
Endeavorers. 

I believe that if local union officers have special 
messages they wish to send to the societies, the best 
means is to send manifolded letters to the presidents, 
for them to read before their societies. Matters of 
general interest that your union wishes to get before 
the Christian Endeavor world at large are always 
welcome in The Golden Rule. Matters of denom- 
inational interest will be eagerly welcomed in the 
denominational journals. 

Scrap-Books. — The union press committee should 
by ail means keep a scrap-book of the work accom- 
plished. This will be of increasing interest and 
value as your work goes on. But do not make the 
mistake some committees make of measuring your 
work by quantity rather than quality ; by the number 
of columns you get into the papers, rather than by 
the impression your paragraphs make and the results 



THE PRESS COMMITTEE. 6 1 

that can be traced to them. Do not be satisfied, 
either, with getting into inferior papers. Seek to 
obtain entrance into the columns of the very best. 
And above all, do not put up with inferior work in 
yourself or your subordinates. This is God's work, 
and it should have the very best talents you can 
command. 

The Convention Press Committee. — One of the 
most important of the convention committees is the 
press committee. At the head should be a practical 
Christian Endeavor worker, and among its members 
should be stenographers and typewriters, besides 
those skilled in the use of the pen. 

Bulletins should be sent out before the convention 
to all the prominent papers. These bulletins should 
tell the most important plans for the convention, and 
name the most important speakers, giving interesting 
biographical facts. As the time for the convention 
approaches, the bulletins should be more frequent 
and longer. 

Find out before the convention about how much 
space the different papers will be likely to devote to 
the meetings, and obtain from the speakers, as far as 
possible, copies of their addresses. The press com- 
mittee should make typewritten or printed copies of 
these addresses for the different papers, furnishing 
them abridged or unabridged, as the space at their 
command would indicate, remembering that each 
paper will wish to cover the entire ground, however 
limited may be the space. 

See that the reporters' tables are conveniently 



62 OUR UNIONS. 

placed, furnished with programmes, and with all 
needed facilities. Set before them as the sessions 
proceed the abstracts or the full copies of the 
speeches that you have prepared, or, if desired, send 
them to the offices in time for them to be put into 
type beforehand. 

On the morning of the opening of the convention 
see that the papers contain as much general informa- 
tion regarding the movement as you can get them 
to print. The literature of the United Society will 
furnish abundant material. 

The work of the press committee should be con- 
tinued after the close of the convention, and the 
country papers and weekly papers will need to be 
followed up, pains being taken to have the gather- 
ings reported in these as fully as possible. 



THE MUSIC COMMITTEE. 63 



CHAPTER XII. 

THE MUSIC COMMITTEE. 

The chairmen of the local societies' music com- 
mittees will properly constitute the union music 
committee. Our societies do not form music com- 
mittees so commonly as I wish they might. A great 
field is open before Christian Endeavor societies 
along this line of training for better congregational 
singing. 

One of the most obvious duties of the union music 
committee is to form a union choir. A good leader 
may easily be obtained, who will give his services for 
love of the work, and the young people will gather 
in large numbers to get the advantage of this excel- 
lent training, and because of the pleasure the singing 
will give. The union choir will add vastly to the 
attendance on your union meetings and to the inter- 
est of the services, and besides, it is neither just, nor 
always profitable, to depend for the music of your 
union meetings upon the choir of the church whose 
hospitality you are receiving. 

The union music committee may provide solos, 
quartettes, and the like, for the union meetings, but 
do so sparingly, for choruses should be the main 
dependence. 



64 OUR UNIONS. 

In the Societies. — Do not fail to make the influ- 
ence of the committee felt in the direction of better 
music in the local societies. Through this committee 
push all plans productive of this result, such as the 
plan of committing to memory one hymn a month, 
the plan of hymn consecration in our consecration 
meetings, the plan of hymn socials, etc. Urge the 
Endeavorers to utilize their hymn-books wholly, 
not confining themselves to a few familiar songs, 
and constantly hold before them the noble object 
of improving the congregational singing of the 
future. 

State Hymns. — Many State unions now have 
their hymns that are sung with increasing fervor by 
the delegates, as the years go on, and as many pre- 
cious memories cluster about the songs. So much 
is to be made of these State hymns, not only in the 
State but in the International Conventions, that 
the very greatest care should be taken in adopt- 
ing them. The ability to write a good song, one 
appropriate in sentiment and bright in movement, 
and at the same time full of poetic feeling, is ex- 
ceedingly rare. Some State hymns are lamentably 
weak in all these respects, and should be dis- 
carded and replaced by others more dignified and 
beautiful. Our unions have a responsibility for 
cultivating the good taste of their members, and 
the constant singing of doggerel will do much to 
disgust, not only the Endeavorers, but all that 
hear them. 

It might be well to hold a public competition. 



THE MUSIC COMMITTEE. 65 

presided over by the best writers of your State, men 
and women of national reputation. Let the com- 
petition last for many months, if need be, and accept 
no hymn finally that does not receive the unanimous 
approval of your committee of judges. 



66 OUR UNIONS. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

THE CHRISTIAN-CITIZENSHIP COMMITTEE. 

The work of this committee varies greatly, accord- 
ing to the size of the place in which the union is 
situated. Its membership consists of one at least 
from each society, and it is better, as our suffrage 
laws now stand, that this committee should consist 
solely of the older young men. 

Not in Politics. — One caution should be empha- 
sized at the beginning of these suggestions, and that 
is, that the Christian citizenship committee should 
under no circumstances have anything to do with 
partisan politics. Politics in the abstract they mus^ 
touch, or they will accomplish nothing, but their 
work must always apply to all parties equally, and be 
confined chiefly to studies in preparation for citizen- 
ship. 

Addresses. — The work of instruction, however, 
is always appropriate. The union might well obtain 
Christian citizenship lectures from some citizen dis- 
tinguished alike for practical acquaintance with public 
affairs and for sound morality. A set of most help- 
ful addresses might be arranged, for example, whose 
general purpose would be to inform the Endeavorers 
reo:ardino: the fundamental outlines and conditions 



THE CHRISTIAN-CITIZENSHIP COMMITTEE. 67 

of their city government. For example, one well- 
informed man might speak, on some week-day even- 
ing, about the city streets, the board that has charge^ 
of them, the conditions of cleanliness and of con- 
venience, and the errors in the present management 
of them. In a similar way the question of the mu- 
nicipalization of gas manufacture or of street car 
lines might be taken up, or the fire department or the 
police department might be discussed. It would be 
especially helpful to call in some prominent worker 
in the city charities, and ask him to explain them. 
There is lamentable public ignorance on the ques- 
tion of temperance laws. Many of us do not know 
what the laws are, still less whether they are being 
enforced, and a practical statement of these laws by 
a Christian lawyer would constitute a profitable even- 
ing. The school laws and the condition of the public 
schools furnish another important topic. If you are 
in a county, rather than a city, union, the field is 
almost as extensive. You can study the condition 
of your township, its poorhouses and poor laws, its 
jails, its schools and school laws, and the temper- 
ance problem. 

Studying Citizenship. — The Christian-citizen- 
ship committee of the union may well organize 
classes of Endieavorers for the study of some of the 
many admirable books on Christian citizenship that 
have recently been published. A competent teacher 
would quite readily be found in any community, 
and these classes, though they might be small, 
would consist of the very cream of the young citi- 



68 OUR UNIONS. 

zenship, those most likely to influence events in 
future. 

Down in Black and White. — I know of no bet- 
ter educational work a committee could undertake 
than the preparation of a good-citizenship map of 
the city, — a map, for instance, on which might be 
drawn all the saloons, the map being colored to rep- 
resent the political complexion of each district ; a 
map on which the number of arrests, within a cer- 
tain time, from each district might be represented, 
the number of murders and other crimes committed 
in different portions of the city, etc. Such charts 
would be of inestimable value to the young citizens, 
and those from distant cities might be exchanged 
and studied. 

Eye-Witnesses. — Another method is to divide 
the field that it is proposed to study among the 
different societies, assigning to each society one por- 
tion of the field, to be thoroughly studied and re- 
ported upon by the best speakers of the society at 
a union meeting. One society, for instance, might 
take the city council and its work ; another, the 
mayor, his powers, and how they have been used ; 
another, the city papers and their influence ; another, 
the Sabbath, and how it is kept in the city, together 
with a study of the laws pertaining to the Sabbath. 
These reports, if carefully prepared, would in them- 
selves constitute the best of material for union 
meetings. They should always be followed by open 
parliaments. 

Be Modest. — Many of these discussions may bring 



THE CHRISTIAN-CITIZENSHIP COMMITTEE. 69 

out evils in the city government, but the young peo- 
ple should remember that it is foolish in them to 
attempt to suppress them alone. They need older 
heads for guidance and support. Whatever is done 
in the direction of political reform we can expect to 
come only from citizens' movements and reform 
leagues, manned by experienced Christians. En- 
deavorers will always throw themselves heart and soul 
into such movements and organizations. Our work 
is to study and prepare ourselves to take the lead in 
precisely such movements. 

I do not see, however, any harm in the circulation 
of petitions, and this affords a means of giving tes- 
timony which is all the Christian Endeavor union 
ought to ask, considering the age of most of its mem- 
bers. The union press committee can exert consid- 
erable influence along this line, if it uses with tact 
the space accorded it in the city papers. 

Temperance Work. — Until the demon of strong 
drink has left the land, and left it forever, one of the 
most important of Christian Endeavor union enter- 
prises will always be aimed at the abolition of the 
saloon. Many unions have obtained temperance 
evangelists and conducted courses of gospel temper- 
ance meetings, winning many pledge-signers, and 
converting drunkards to a life of sobriety and purity. 
In not a few places the Christian Endeavor unions 
have lent effective aid to no-license campaigns, in 
many of which the union has been the leader. By 
petition and in other ways several Christian Endea- 
vor unions have been able to promote temperance 



70 OUR UNIONS. 

legislation, and to bring about the enforcement of 
temperance laws already enacted. In all such en- 
deavors, it need not be reiterated, the local union 
will go only in such directions and so far as the pas- 
tors of the churches are prepared to lead the way. 

Pledges. — The circulation of Christian citizenship 
pledges is to be commended most heartily. These 
pledges, worded according to the desire of the union, 
should at least bind the one who signs them to in- 
vestigate the character of all for whom he votes, to 
vote for none but good men, to study earnestly all 
matters pertaining to the city government, to throw 
his influence always on the side of the suppression 
of the liquor traffic, and, in general, to vote as he 
prays and pray as he votes. 



THE GOOD-LITERATURE COMMITTEE. 71 



CHAPTER XIV. 

THE GOOD-LITERATURE COMMITTEE. 

The work of this committee depends upon the 
work of local good-literature committees. If these 
local committees do not exist, the good-literature 
committee of the union should consider it its first 
duty to form them. 

Don't Throw It Away. — In all our churches a 
vast amount of admirable literature is going to waste, 
while in hundreds of thousands of homes and insti- 
tutions this literature is greatly needed. It is the 
work of the union good-literature committee to see 
that this wasted food goes to the hungry mouths. 
There should be a regular day on which the bundles 
of books, magazines, and papers can be brought 
from the local societies to some central distributing 
place, where the union good-literature committee 
takes charge of them, divides and sorts them, and 
sends them where they can do the most good, to 
jails, hospitals, police stations, railroad station, boxes 
in the city parks, poorhouses, asylums, orphans' 
homes, and similar places. 

A Useful Institution. — The Good-Literature Ex- 
change of the Chicago Union, whose address is Box 
1013, Chicago, 111., is carrying on the useful work of 



72 OUR UNIONS. 

putting local unions and local societies in connection 
with missionaries and institutions all over the coun- 
try that may apply to them for good literature. Much 
has already been accomplished, but very little com- 
pared with what could be done if the local unions 
were awake to the need and the opportunity. 

The union committee should take note what so- 
cieties are sending in this literature and what are 
not, and should spur those that are lagging. They 
should discover, by correspondence and observation, 
the good that is being done by the literature that is 
given out, and tell about it in their reports before 
the local union, in order to encourage to still further 
gifts. 

Other Work. — Besides the gathering of literature 
that would otherwise be wasted, it is within the 
province of the union good-literature committee to 
promote the circulation of good literature among 
Christian Endeavorers and their families ; to gather 
statistics of the missionary, denominational, and 
Christian Endeavor papers taken among the En- 
deavorers; and, where tliese are not taken in proper 
quantities, to push the circulation of these indispen- 
sable adjuncts to practical, earnest Christianity. 

Find out whether the societies are appreciating 
the inestimable value of tracts and missionary and 
temperance leaflets, and, so far as you can, promote 
the circulation and use of these swift-winged mes- 
senorers of truth. 



THE CORRESPONDENCE COMMITTEE. 73 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE CORRESPOXDEXCE COMMITTEE. 

Unless your union is a very large one, a single 
Endeavorer will suffice for the membership of the 
union correspondence committee. The work of 
the committee is to receive and send away notifi- 
cations of intended changes of residence among 
Christian Endeavorers. If, for example, a member 
of a Baptist Christian Endeavor society of New 
York City intended to move to Chicago, he him- 
self, or some friend for him, would notify the corre- 
spondence committee of the New York Union, who 
would write to the correspondence committee of the 
Chicago Union, telling him that on about such a 
date the Endeavorer would move to Chicago, and 
giving his Chicago address. It would then be the 
duty of the Chicago correspondence committee to 
pass the letter on to the president or secretary of 
the Baptist society nearest the future home of this 
Endeavorer. The lookout committee of this society 
would see that the Endeavorer had an earnest invi- 
tation to join society, Sunday school, and church. 

A list of correspondence committees is kept at the 
headquarters, and if any Endeavorer wishes their 
services, the addresses are easily obtained. Much 



74 OUR UNIONS. 

good can be done by these committees. Young 
people whose friends are anxious about their reh- 
gious welfare are hunted up, and sometimes rescued 
from surroundings that might have proved irresistible 
temptations. Obviously, the correspondence com- 
mittee should be permanent, if possible. 

Boarding-house Bureaus. — A work that many a 
Christian Endeavor union existing in a large city 
might well undertake is the furnishing of suitable 
homes to the young men and the young women that 
come to the city from the country seeking employ- 
ment. Scores of them are led into sin by being 
obliged to take up their abodes in lodgings where 
they meet with evil companions. 

It will be easy for the Christian Endeavor union to 
establish a central bureau where would be recorded 
names of all church members who may be willing 
to take young men or women into their homes. 
Communication should be established with country 
pastors and societies. This work of the union 
should be as widely advertised as that of the corre- 
spondence committee, so that whenever a young 
person leaves home for the city, his or her name 
may be sent to the bureau. It at once sees that 
a home is provided the new-comer with a family of 
his own denomination. 



COMMITTEE CONFERENCES. 75 



CHAPTER XVI. 

COMMITTEE CONFERENCES. 

In speaking of the different committees of the 
union, nothing has been said about committee con- 
ferences, yet all of the union committees should hold 
them, and there should be conferences, also under 
the auspices of the union, for each of the committees 
of the local society unrepresented in the union organ- 
ization, such as the prayer-meeting, flower, and in- 
formation committees. 

The Time. — These committee conferences should 
be held once a year, and among the first duties of 
the executive committee will be the formation of a 
schedule for the conferences. These conferences 
should be held in the order of their importance and 
timeliness. One for the prayer-meeting committee 
and another for the lookout committee, for example, 
should be held early in each Christian Endeavor 
year, and one for the missionary committee should 
come soon after. 

The Place. — The committee conferences should 
be held in the various churches of the city. Let 
each meet in the church whose society contains the 
most efficient committee of the kind whose work is 
to be discussed. For instance, if a certain church 



76 OUR UNIONS. 

has the best missionary committee of the union, hold 
at that church the missionary committee conference. 

The Programme. — Each conference should be 
opened by a brief paper, inspiring, practical, and 
suggestive, or by several short papers treating differ- 
ent phases of the same topic ; but always these 
papers should be followed by an open parliament, 
whose leader should not be the same one that pre- 
sents the paper. It is well also to have a question- 
box, or, though this is not quite so valuable, an 
answer-box. These must be announced beforehand 
in order to be successful. 

As a sample programme, take this for a conference 
of the social committees of the union : — 

Paper on the spiritual side of social committee 
work. 

Question-box. 

An open parliament, whose leader will ask the 
audience to answer such questions as these : — What 
is the best social your society ever held? What is 
one of the new schemes your social committee has 
found valuable? How do you make strangers feel at 
home at your socials ? What does your social com- 
mittee do to add pleasantness to your prayer meet- 
ings? How do you raise money for socials? 

A model social. 

By Ticket. — There should be no attempt to seek 
an audience for these committee conferences. None 
but practical workers especially interested in the sub- 
ject should be admitted. It is best to admit them 
all by ticket, and a certain number of tickets should 
be furnished each society. This number should be 



COMMITTEE CONFERENCES. 77 

large enough to admit each member of the committee 
from that society, as well as, possibly, an equal num- 
ber of interested friends. 

District Conferences. — Sometimes it may not be 
practicable to hold committee conferences for all the 
societies of a large city union. In this case district 
committee conferences at least can be organized. 
To such conferences should be invited all the com- 
mittee workers in two or three societies conveniently 
situated. Certain practical Christian Endeavor topics 
should be announced beforehand, and serve as the 
nucleus of the evening's discussions. 

The union lookout committee would be the proper 
persons to preside over such a gathering. The topic 
may be opened by some member of the union look- 
out committee, who speaks for five or six minutes. 
Then follows a general practical discussion. Both 
written and verbal questions are answered, and es- 
pecial effort is made to disclose clearly and positively 
the true Christian Endeavor principles. The soci- 
eties bring up for discussion the particular lines of 
work in which each feels need of suggestion. 



78 OUR UNIONS. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

VARIOUS USEFUL METHODS. 

A Union Directory. — Every local union should 
have printed some sort of directory of the societies 
composing it. The directory may be no more ex- 
tensive than a simple four-page leaflet, or by the use 
of advertisements it may be found possible to pub- 
lish without loss quite a pamphlet. This directory 
should contain the date of organization of each so- 
ciety, the name of the first president, and possibly 
of succeeding presidents, the number of members on 
a certain date, the time of meeting, the church with 
which the society is connected, the Junior society, 
the name of the pastor, and similar information. 
There should also be an account of the union drawn 
up along similar lines. 

How Often ? — As to the frequency of union meet- 
ings, it is my opinion that once in three months is 
usually often enough. Every union meeting should 
present one strong speaker and address, and one is 
enough. Give him plenty of time. Put in one open 
parliament, question-box, answer-box, or discussion, 
— something to draw out all the Endeavorers present, 
closing with a brief consecration meeting, and you 
have, in my opinion, an ideal union meeting. The 



VARIOUS USEFUL METHODS. 79 

Open parliament may discuss some general topic such 
as, *'The greatest need of my society," ''The best 
plan my society has recently carried out," and the 
like ; or the topic may be connected with the theme 
of the prominent speaker of the evening. 

A Report Meeting. — An admirable local union 
meeting might consist of nothing but reports from 
the presidents of the different societies, these reports 
being Hmited in length to five minutes, and being 
followed by a discussion of their salient points, in 
which the entire audience will participate. 

Choosing Officers. — Christian Endeavor conven- 
tions should be one place in the universe where the 
last are promoted, and those who would be first 
made to take back seats. Let the office seek the 
man, and never the man, or the man's friends for 
him, seek the office. 

One other bit of advice. It is well to represent in 
the list of officers all sections and denominations, 
but this should not be the main idea kept in mind. 
Your chief purpose is the efficiency of the union ; 
choose men best adapted to promote this. If all 
other interests can also be well represented, so much 
the better. 

The Nominating Committee. — To avoid suspi- 
cion of favoritism, the nominating committee should 
be named, not by the president, but by a committee 
consisting of the delegates of different churches, if it 
is a local union, or from different sections, if it is 
a State union. When the president names the nom- 
inating committee his choice is likely to be limited 



8o OUR UNIONS. 

to his personal friends, and as good a committee 
will not result as if the wisdom of many from dif- 
erent sections contributes to the selection. 

Flags. — Gradually the State unions are adopting 
colors, and the local unions are doing the same, 
though more slowly. The Philadelphia Union is 
seeking to introduce throughout the Christian En- 
deavor world the custom of carrying flags of uniform 
size, whose colors shall be characteristic of the State 
and local unions. The flags are to be about seven 
by nine inches in size, and are to contain no letter- 
ing or design. They are simply for the display of 
colors, those of Pennsylvania being dark red and 
dark blue, half and half. Above the flag is a pen- 
nant to show^ the colors of the city union, those of 
Philadelphia being light blue and w^iite. 

These flags may be mounted on jointed poles that 
can easily be carried in the pocket. They will serve 
as rallying points for delegations at Christian En- 
deavor conventions, and the weaving of these flags 
wdll make a very beautiful salute, as good as the 
Chautauqua. 

Banner Societies. — Recognize once a year by 
the presentation of a local union banner the society 
that during the year has added the largest number 
of active members in proportion to the membership 
it had at the beginning of the year, at the same time 
showing an attendance at the consecration meeting 
and participation of the members in it equal to the 
average of the union. Call this the ** banner evan- 
gelistic society." Give another banner to the soci- 



VARIOUS USEFUL METHODS. 8 1 

ety that contributes the largest amount of money 
to its church and to home missions, in proportion 
to its membership, while at the same time it contrib- 
utes to foreign missions an amount equal to the aver- 
age contributed by the societies of the union. This 
will be called the " banner missionary society.'' 

Attendance Banners. — It is the custom in many 
unions to call the roll of the societies at the begin- 
ning, or sometimes at the end of the programme. As 
the societies composing the union are called, the 
members present from each society rise, and an as- 
sistant to the secretary counts their number. Some- 
times a banner is given to the society, other than 
that entertaining the union, which sends the largest 
delegation. This banner is carried by the society to 
the next local union meeting, and either retained or 
handed over to some more successful society. 

Some unions may like to know the custom of the 
Essex County, N. J., Union, which presents semi- 
annually to the society which has to its credit the 
largest aggregate attendance on union meetings, a 
handsomely engraved certificate, and another to the 
society that has the largest attendance in propor- 
tion to membership. The statistics, of course, are 
obtained by reports from each society to the sec- 
retary of the union 



82 OUR UNIONS. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

BEFORE AND AFTER THE CONVENTION. 

Prayer for Conventions. — All our conventions 
should be preceded by earnest prayer for them, of- 
fered by the local societies involved. Let the an- 
nouncement of the convention include a call for such 
prayer, and, that it may be a true concert of prayer, 
let it all come upon the same day. This call should 
enumerate the particular features of the convention 
for which prayer is especially desired. 

Convention Delegates. — A good way to raise 
money to send delegates to the Christian Endeavor 
convention is to distribute ballots like the following 
to the members of the society. 



I DESIRE TO SEE 



a delegate from the Christian Endeavor so- 
ciety of the First Baptist Church to the In- 
ternational Christian Endeavor Convention 
to be held at Cleveland next July. I send 
one cent and cast one ballot for the above 
candidate. 



BEFORE AND AFTER THE CONVENTION. S^ 

Any one can cast as many ballots as he pleases, 
provided the one cent accompanies the ballot. If 
enough is received to pay the expenses of more than 
one, the two that receive the largest number of votes 
will be sent. 

Sometimes a lecture or a special entertainment 
may be given for the raising of money to send dele- 
gates. The tickets for this entertainment may be 
divided into two parts by perforation. One of these 
parts is a ticket of admission, while the other is a 
blank vote to be filled out by the purchaser with the 
name of the Endeavorer whom he would like to 
send to the convention as the society delegate. 

Or, it may be found advantageous to devote the 
latter half of some prayer meeting to this matter of 
raising money. Let the leader speak earnestly of the 
plan, and the good to be gained by delegate repre- 
sentation, urging every one to give something, but 
to make the amount a matter between God and his 
conscience. While they all bow their heads in silent 
prayer, the ushers pass quietly around and present 
the subscription papers. 

A union savings-bank may be established in the 
case of International Conventions, whereby the mem- 
bers of the union may save up their money for the 
purpose of going to the Convention. Payment of 
ten cents will open an account. Deposits are to be 
made in sums of not less than one dollar. Regular 
receipts are given and bank books kept. The earn- 
ings from the interest may go to the union and be 
used for its expenses. 



84 OUR UNIONS. 

By the way, the best delegate to send will be your 
pastor. If he is going anyway, take pains to select 
some Endeavorer whose report will be a genuine 
inspiration to the society. 

Christian Endeavor Excursions. — It is always 
best, in order to avoid confusion, for the State union 
to manage, through a regularly appointed officer, 
the State excursion to the International Convention. 
Sometimes, through failure to attend to this matter 
in good season, rival excursions are organized and 
bad feeling may result, as well as a division of the 
forces and the enthusiasm of the State. 

Let it be understood that any money made out of 
the excursion shall go to the State treasury for the 
work of the State union, though, of course, when a 
busy man takes time from his business to manage 
such a complicated affair, it is only right that he 
should receive some compensation for his serv^ices. 
The accounts of the excursion manager should be 
audited and reported in the same way as those of 
the treasurer. 

Delegates* Certificates. — A convenient delegate's 
ticket to be presented by all attendants at the con- 
vention, may be arranged in this way. After an ap- 
propriate head, let it read : 

This is to certify that is a member 

of the Y. P. S. C. E. of the church, at 



(Signed) 

President or Secretary. 



BEFORE AND AFTER THE CONVENTION. 85 

A footnote will tell to whom the ticket is to be 
handed on arrival at the convention city. On the 
back are directions for reaching the convention build- 
ing. A perforated stub is marked to be filled out 
and sent, as soon as the ticket is received by the 
Endeavorer, to the chairman of the entertainment 
committee in the convention city, his address being 
given. The stub will read : 

Name 

Address 

When expected to arrive by the 

railway. 

Do you desire entertainment? 

If you desire to room with some particular person, please 

note the name 

(^Please prefix to your name Mr.y Mrs., or Miss.) 

• Conventions in Succession. — The presidents of 
State unions may often time their conventions in 
such a way as to permit strong speakers to go from 
one convention to another, thus economizing the 
money paid for fares and the time of the speaker, 
and enabling the conventions to command the ser- 
vices of the very best speakers. By a little previous 
correspondence, such convention tours may be ar- 
ranged by the State presidents for the brightest and 
most helpful speakers in the Christian Endeavor 
world. 

Greetings. — The pleasant custom of sending 
greetings from one State convention to another is 
happily growing of recent years. These messages 



S6 OUR UNIONS. 

always add much to the interest of the convention, 
and strengthen that '* tie that binds our hearts in 
Christian love." 

If the message is sent by mail some time before 
the convention, it can be more extended and attrac- 
tive. If a telegram is sent at the time of the conven- 
tion, the best way is to refer to a Scripture verse 
that will express the sentiment desired to be con- 
veyed. 

Scan carefully the list of conventions given in The 
Golden Rule that are to be held at or near the 
date of your own, and let the proper officers send 
them these brotherly greetings. 

Convention Reports. — It will be found that only 
the largest State unions can successfully publish a 
report of the State convention. The cost is con- 
siderable, and to sell an edition requires much busi- 
ness ability. iMoreover, no slight editorial skill is 
needed to prepare for profitable reading a summary 
of a crowded convention. Nevertheless, in some 
States this has been done, and well done. With 
the aid of advertising, such reports can easily be 
made to sell for ten cents. If they are persistently 
advertised at the time of the convention, a large 
number of the delegates will subscribe for them. 

These reports not only furnish a valuable record 
of the work done during the convention, but con- 
stitute good campaign literature for use during the 
coming year. There should be, by the w^ay, a wider 
mutual exchange of reports among the officers of 
State unions. 



BEFORE AND AFTER THE CONVENtlON. 8^ 

Where the pamphlet report is not found practi- 
cable, the newspaper report may be used for spread- 
ing the influence of the convention. Usually this 
will prove, on the whole, the most advantageous 
course. 

Echo Meetings. — After every State and national 
convention, the local union should hold an echo 
meeting. It is not necessary, of course, to devote 
the w^hole evening to reminiscences of the conven- 
tion, but a convention flavor may be given to the 
programme. Especially after the International Con- 
ventions these echo meetings are pleasant and prof- 
itable. 

If the convention adopted, as the International 
Conventions do, any special colors, these may be 
used in the decoration of the room where the echo 
meeting is held. Songs characteristic of the conven- 
tion should be sung. Of course, the returned dele- 
gates should speak, but opportunity should be given 
also for others to state what they have gleaned from 
newspaper accounts, and the accounts in The Golden 
Rule. Sometimes when no delegates from the union 
attended the convention, a good echo meeting can be 
made up from these printed reports alone. 

If there are many returned delegates, the leader of 
the evening may divide the report, and ask carefully 
selected persons to speak on separate topics. Some 
-one, for example, who has a good imagination and 
clear use of language, should describe the meeting 
places, the coming of the delegates, and other stirring 
scenes. Some one with a keen sense of humor may 



88 OUR UNIONS. 

describe the comical as well as the pathetic incidents. 
Some practical worker may give an account of the 
new ways of working learned at the convention. 
Some spiritually minded Endeavorer will speak of 
the consecration meeting, and the evangelistic effect 
of the gathering. 

Reporting Bands. — Suggest to the attendants on 
State Christian Endeavor conventions, as well as to 
those that go to the international gatherings, that they 
organize themselves on their return into reporting 
bands, that go around visiting less fortunate societies, 
and presenting in bright ways an account of their 
convention experiences. 



CONDUCTING A CONVENTION. 89 



CHAPTER XIX. 

CONDUCTING A CONVENTION. 

Merely Mass Meetings. — You ^Yill avoid many a 
pitfall if you understand clearly, from first to last of 
your convention management, this wise and neces- 
sary Christian Endeavor principle, that our conven- 
tions are mass meetings, pure and simple. They are 
not delegated bodies. They have no legislative func- 
tions. They levy no taxes, issue no commands. 
They are for purposes of inspiration solely. Along 
this line your convention will prove fruitful. Leave 
everything beyond it to the home -churches and the 
pastors. 

Be Prompt. — Too much can scarcely be said 
about the supreme importance of promptness in 
carrying on Christian Endeavor conventions. This 
is not merely for the good of the speakers, who 
are too often cheated out of time that properly 
belongs to them, and for the good of the audi- 
ence, whose younger members should not be kept 
away from their homes too late, but especially on 
account of the training Christian Endeavor work 
should give for the conduct of life. A slovenly 
manner of carrying on the Christian Endeavor 
meetings is sure to produce slovenliness in all our 
work. 



go OUR UNIONS. 

The programme should be so constructed as to 
leave ample spaces for all business. The reports 
of committees, announcements, and the like, should 
not be permitted to encroach upon the time de- 
voted to the speakers, and those speakers them- 
selves should be kept strictly within the bounds 
of the time designated. Treat all impartially. No 
matter if the most influential and honored speaker 
of the convention is addressing the audience, call 
him down promptly when his time is up, and if 
he is a true Christian he will thank you for it 
as heartily as his hearers. And even if the audi- 
ence urge the continuance of the address, do not 
submit. The speaker that follows has rights that 
the audience is bound to respect. At the very 
opening of the session announce your purpose to 
hold to programme limits, and make this announce- 
ment so plain that all will understand it. 

To Each a Part. — The more Endeavorers you 
can interest personally in the meetings of the local 
unions, the better will those meetings be. To this 
end a programme for the entire year, made out be- 
forehand, is of great assistance. If copies are fur- 
nished the Endeavorers of the union, their thoughts 
wall have something to fix upon. If they cannot at- 
tend one meeting, they will have it in mind to attend 
the next. 

For the assigning of special parts in these meet- 
ings, the following blank may be found useful: 

Dear Endeavor Friend : — The next meeting of our 
city Endeavor union will be held in the Church, 



CONDUCTING A CONVENTION. 9 1 

Sunday .3 P. M. M will lead, with 

the topic: Your part will be 

Will you kindly accept the part assigned you, and assist in 
making this meeting one of the best yet held? Thanking 
you in advance for your co-operation, and praying that 
God may continue to bless our efforts '' for Christ and the 
church," we are 

Yours in Christian Endeavor, 

The Executive Committee. 

Overflow Meetings. — If you can get all the Chris- 
tian Endeavorers that are attending the convention 
into one hall, even then I should advise the holding 
of overflow meetings, in order that the citizens of 
the place who in their homes are doing so much for 
the convention, may have an opportunity to attend. 
The Endeavorers may well be kept in one meeting 
while the citizens attend the other, but the speakers 
should be largely the same, and always the very best 
convention speakers should go also to the second 
meeting, if they are physically able to do so. 

Sometimes the emergency is such as to compel the 
getting up of overflow meetings on the spur of the 
moment. Usually, however, the need can be fore- 
seen and provided against ; and a good presiding 
officer will always have in mind some plan that he 
can carry out for the manning of an overflow meet- 
ing. 

The speakers at these meetings should be as 
evenly balanced as possible, and in order to provide 
against a rush to one place and a second delay while 
the overflow crowd is going to the other church pro- 



92 OUR UNIONS. 

vided, it is well, at the previous session, to divide 
the audience into two parts, requesting the Endeav- 
orers in each portion of the audience to go to differ- 
ent places. 

The Use of Dodgers. — If your hall will permit a 
large attendance from the locality, the best way to 
get it is by having printed notices, giving the whole 
programme, distributed from house to house. This 
calls the attention of the citizens to the meeting far 
better than a mere notice in the town paper, or a 
notice from the city pulpits, though these, of course, 
should also be given. If the weather is unpropitious, 
the use of these dodgers is especially important. 

Lunches At Conventions. — It is a good plan, 
when a local union holds a convention of two ses- 
sions, to ask the delegates to bring lunches from 
their homes. Much pleasant sociability will be de- 
veloped as these lunches are eaten, and the heavy 
tax on the local forces will be avoided. 

Report the Conferences. — Whenever in your con- 
vention you hold simultaneous conferences, be sure 
that a bright practical report from each conference is 
given before the entire convention. 

It is not usually best, though it is customary, for 
the chairman of these conferences to make the re- 
port. He is so busy in managing the conference 
that he is not able to take notes, and many of the 
practical and most pointed suggestions he fails to 
retain in memory. This is why the reports for 
these conferences are so often nothing but glittering 
generalities. Appoint a good speaker from each 



CONDUCTING A CONVENTION. 93 

conference whose duty it be will be to watch the 
proceedings of the conference, take careful notes, 
and bring before the convention just the things that 
are brightest and most helpful. 

A Model Meeting. — Occasionally, instead of the 
conferences for committee work, so common and so 
helpful features of our State conventions, it is a 
good plan to have before the entire company of 
Endeavorers a model business meeting, conducted 
upon the platform, with model reports from the 
chairmen of the different committees. In this way 
the entire audience gains a series of exceedingly 
practical suggestions regarding committee work, and 
possibly as much is received as could be gained from 
committee conferences. 

A Bird*s-Eye Meeting. — A pleasant plan for a 
union gathering is a meeting solely devoted to the 
presentation of Christian Endeavor work in all its 
many phases. One speaker will tell about Chris- 
tian Endeavor work in Great Britain ; another will 
give items about the societies that make up the 
United Society of Christian Endeavor of Japan ; 
another will speak of the societies of China ; others 
of the Australian societies, those of India, of Africa, 
of Europe, of South America, of Canada, and 
so on. 

One of the Juniors may speak about Junior Chris- 
tian Endeavor. The Floating Societies will not be 
forgotten, nor the societies in unusual places, such 
as prisons, in the army, in poorhouses, asylums, 
orphans' homes, and among the various foreign 



94 OUR UNIONS. 

nationalities that have settled in the United States, 
such as Chinese, Greeks, Bulgarians, and Italians. 

Attention should also be given to the different 
lines of committee work and the great endeavors of 
the society, such as those for Christian citizenship, 
systematic giving, missionary studies, Bible-read- 
ing, and the like. A word should be said about the 
great Conventions, and the history of the society in 
general. Such a meeting as this would serve not 
merely to inform outsiders of the scope and purpose 
of the society, but would undoubtedly interest, in- 
struct, and stimulate the Endeavorers themselves. 

Convention Bible Schools. — In some largely at- 
tended conventions, the delegates come in such 
crowds as almost to overwhelm the local Sunday 
schools. In such cases it may be well to hold con- 
vention Bible schools at several convenient centres, 
presided over by the best Bible scholars out of the 
many the convention will draw together. The names 
of these should not be announced beforehand, but 
the Endeavorers should be assured that they will get 
profit and pleasure if they attend the ones nearest to 
their boarding places. 

Convention Evangelistic Meetings. — It is more 
and more becoming the custom to hold in connec- 
tion with State and International conventions special 
evangelistic meetings, in factories, on the streets, on 
the wharves, in jails, and in all places where can be 
gathered a crowd that especially needs the gospel.. 

The usual time for holding these services is the 
noon hour. Careful preparation should be made 



COXDUCTIXG A COXVEXTIOX. 95 

beforehand by a committee whose sole work in con- 
nection with the convention should be these evan- 
gelistic meetings. Employers that at first refuse to 
give permission for the holding of these ser\-ice5 are 
uniformly enthusiastic when they see the good results 
obtained. 

One earnest Christian worker is to be placed in 
charge at each station where services are to be 
held- He will gather about him a group of fifteen 
or twenty earnest Endeavorers. The exercises at 
each place must be lively and yet deeply spirituaL 
Testimonies should be very brief. There should be 
much singing and much prapng. Earnest prayers 
should precede the meeting. If the band can hold 
a few moments of prayer together before they go to 
the meeting-place, it will be the best plan. 

There should be enouo:h sinorino^-books or leaflets 
for all that attend to have one. A: ever}- meeting 
appeals should be made for decisions for the Chris- 
tian life. Reports fi-om these meetings may be 
made by the workers at the sunrise prayer meetings 
of the following day. 

Above all, after the more formal exercises of each 
meeting, the workers will talk face to face with the 
people they have come to help, seeking in these 
closing moments to gain positive results for the 
Master. Of course those that engage in such evan- 
gelistic undertakings should be careful to avoid any- 
thing like a patronizing way. Let them remember 
that many of those to whom they speak are, very 
likely, as genuine children of God as they them- 
selves. 



90 OUR UNIONS. 

Denominational Rallies. — Denominational rallies 
on a large scale are possible only in connection with 
the International Conventions, and yet frequent ex- 
perience has proved that it is possible to hold them 
at State conventions ; and these small denomina- 
tional rallies make up in the directness of their appeal 
to the individual what they lack in large numbers. 
They should by all means be held whenever the 
numbers attendant upon the State conventions will 
warrant. 

The Closing Consecration Meeting. — Usually it 
is better for the address at the closing consecration 
meeting to be made by the man that conducts the 
consecration service. The meeting gains in this way 
a unity of impression that is quite marred by a new 
speaker. 

Do not, however, place in charge of the consecra- 
tion meeting one not familiar with this form of ser- 
vice. No one without a long training in Christian 
Endeavor conventions is likely to be competent to 
conduct this most spiritual of all meetings to the best 
possible advantage. The mistake most commonly 
made by those that conduct convention consecration 
meetings, when any mistake is made at all, is to talk 
too long themselves. 

Convention Aftermath. — Sometimes it may be 
well to hold, on the morning following the closing 
consecration meeting 'of State conventions, an after- 
math servdce, which is simply a sunrise prayer meet- 
ing held before the delegates take their trains for 
home. This service will be one of peculiar tender- 



CONDUCTING A CONVENTION. 97 

ness and beauty, and will gather up in many happy 
ways the impressions and lessons of the conven- 
tion. 

Another kind of aftermath may be held, after the 
fashion of some Massachusetts societies that had re- 
ceived a State convention into their midst. They 
proposed to utilize the convention enthusiasm, and 
for that purpose sent to all the members of the union 
the following letter : 

Second Baptist Y. P. S. C. E. 

Dea7' Friend : We have had during the past week the 
blessing of God with us in the State convention held in 
our city, and the many things said and done during that 
convention have inspired us all to do a greater work for 
the Master. As soon as we are ready, God has promised 
blessings. 

Can we not, individually as well as collectively, make 
the week of November 19 a week of prayer for guidance 
as to the most profitable manner in which to carry forward 
the banner of Christ? 

Will you not, dear friend, go to God during the coming 
week with the earnest prayer that he will endue us with a 
spirit of consecration and love for his service and work? 

Will you not, while the thoughts expressed at this con- 
vention are fresh in our minds, strive the more earnestly 
to make the way of salvation so plain to others, that, with 
the blessing of Christ, they may be made to see Christ as 
he is and come out boldly in his service? 

Yours in His name, 
Prayer-Meeting and Lookout 
Committees. 



qS our uxioxs. 

Information Got Quickly. — Devote ten minutes 
of some session to asking each one present to name 
a place where, in his opinion, an Endeavor society 
might be formed, and also to name some person who 
might help start such a society. A few minutes of 
rapid talking and of note-taking will bring together 
information which months of correspondence would 
not gain. 

Preliminary to the Open Parliament, — To make 
a successful open parliament the Endeavorers must 
be set to thinking beforehand along the lines of the 
topic to be considered. There is no better way to 
do this than by distributing, at the preceding session 
of the convention, slips of paper containing questions 
the delegates are expected to answer in the open par- 
liament. Take for a sample the following questions 
for an open parliament on the work of the lookout 
committee. 

Are You Interested in the Work of the 
Lookout Committee? 

Note the foUoTving questumSi study ihrm, and be prepared tvUk 

anszvers at tlie free Par Iia7tie7ii of the lookout convmittee, 

Wed?tesday afterfioon. 

" Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord." — Isa. 

I : iS. 

1 . — As a lookout committee, what is your plan of work 
at your regular church services? 

2. — Is it a good plan to change the chairman every 
time officers are elected, especially if you have a chairman 

whose place would be hard to fill? 



CONDUCTING A CONVENTION. 99 

3. — What have you found to be the best method for 
handling the roll? 

4. — How successful are you in getting members to send 
in *' a message to be read in response to their names at 
roll-call, when obliged to be absent from the consecration 
meeting ' ' ? 

5. — Do you look after the absentees from the first un- 
excused absent mark, or do you wait for the second or 
third? 

6. — After a member has been absent from three con- 
secutive consecration meetings, without a reasonable ex- 
cuse, and having failed to 'win him back again, what is 
the next step? 

7. — Have you any questions to ask or any plan of work 
to suggest that you have tried successfully in your own 
society ? 

8. — As a rule, the chairman of a committee does about 
all the work. As chairman of a lookout committee, have 
you anything different to report? 

9. — How win associate members? Do you divide the 
associate list among the members of your committee, the 
same as the active? If so, for what purpose? 

10. — Where does the work of the lookout committee 
end, that of the prayer-meeting committee begin? 

11. — Have you successfully employed special methods 
to promote faithfulness to the pledge ? Tell us about it. 

12. — Do you believe in having a large alBiliated list? 
If so, for what purpose, and how build it up ? 

13. — What does your lookout committee do for your 
Junior society? 

14. — The revised pledge having been adopted by an 
executive committee of a society, but some of the mem- 



lOO OUR UNIONS. 

bers opposing the change, how should the lookout com- 
mittee work to overcome the objections, that all may 

be of one mind ? 

15. — What is the work of the lookout committee in the 
Sunday school ? 

"Therefore we ought to give the more "earnest heed to the things 
which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip." — 
Heb. 2 : I. 

A Written Open Parliament. — To carry on this 
exercise the best way is to print the programme 
with several blank pages, each headed by one of the 
questions to which answers are desired. If this is 
not done, blank pages headed in this way may be 
distributed at the beginning of the session in which 
the open parliament is to come. 

Such questions as these may head the pages : 
How can we make the Junior meetings interesting ? 
How can we get and keep the young men? What is 
the best feature of Christian Endeavor prayer meet- 
ings that you have tried. ^ Five minutes may be 
given to the filling out of each of these pages, which 
will then be torn out and handed to the usher. The 
contents are to be read from the platform, and thus 
all that have good ideas to communicate will be able 
to present them, boiled down, and through the good 
strong voice of some one that will be able to make 
the whole roomful hear, and will enrich the sugges- 
tions with comments of his own. 



THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. lOl 



CHAPTER XX. 

THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. 

Very Crowded Programmes. — Long observation 
of convention programmes has brought me to the 
conclusion that in no point are they so likely to be 
in the wrong as in the matter of overcrowding. For 
some reason or other, probably because of the en- 
thusiasm of the workers, no programme is so likely 
to be overcrowded as the programme of a Junior 
meeting, which of all others should be brief, on 
account of the tender age of the majority of the 
audience. 

Not enough space is allowed in our programmes 
for announcements, singing, prayer, Bible-reading, 
the delays and hindrances that are almost certain to 
occur, and the possible though exceedingly rude 
over-stepping of their time by the speakers. It is 
always very easy to fill up the time if a programme 
is too short. Let the programme-makers err in this 
direction, and win the blessing of long suffering au- 
diences. 

The Printed Programme. — Let it be tasteful : a 
pretty programme is a neat introduction to the 
speakers. Let it be simple : an expensive pro- 
gramme cheats the mission-boxes. Let it bristle 



I02 OUR UNIONS. 

with information concerning the principles and prac- 
tices of Endeavor societies. Put it brightly, and not 
catalogue-ly. The Endeavor pledge will leap from 
the programme into many new hearts. Programme- 
recognition of the officers and committees of the 
union is no more than their due. The national mot- 
toes and inspiring Bible quotations adorn a pro- 
gramme better than the printer's handsomest type. 
If you have room, it is an excellent plan to insert the 
words of the hymns to be used ; and the best of 
plans, to include helpful concert exercises and Bible 
readings. Sometimes the programme may close with 
the words of the Mizpah benediction. Find room, 
if only an inch, for some account of the standing and 
progress of the union, — a brief synopsis of the num- 
ber of members of various classes, of conversions, of 
money needed and on hand, of corresponding figures 
for the last year or quarter. 

The Speakers. — Never choose speakers merely 
because of their reputation. Westfield's wire nails 
may be the best of their kind, but they make poor 
stuffing for a plum-pudding. Dr. Dryasdust may 
have written a great commentary, but he is not, 
merely on that account, a profitable speaker before a 
convention of young people. Remember, too, that 
a one-man convention is one half a convention. Re- 
gard fitness : the address of welcome to your most 
warm-hearted man ; the business meeting to your 
most vigorous man ; the open parliament to your 
most suggestive man ; the consecration service to 
your most spiritual man. Do not select for speaker 



THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. 103 

the most brilliant writer and most charming man of 
the State, if his voice is inaudible at a distance of 
twelve feet. Bring in, if possible, one man from 
some other State or section of the State ^ fresh air 
comes in with him. The best method of obtaining 
speakers from the State is that in vogue in Connecti- 
cut, and to some extent elsewhere, A circular is 
sent out from headquarters to prominent Christian 
Endeavorers, asking for volunteer speakers, and a 
list of topics they would be willing to treat. It is 
well to send out a circular letter to prominent workers, 
asking for suggestions in regard to good topics and 
speakers. 

The Topics. — Avoid general topics like *' Chris- 
tian Endeavor" and *' Our Work" and "Duty." 
No matter how definite the treatment of such themes 
may prove to be, much of their value is lost because 
there has been no definite preparation for them in 
the minds of the hearers. Avoid sameness of topics. 
Scan carefully the late programmes of the union, 
and choose themes which have not been treated re- 
cently. Let a small part of the programme bear on 
outside causes, a still smaller part relate to topics 
of the day, and throw the main weight of the meet- 
ing in the direction of Christian Endeavor work 
proper. Do not shrink from emphasizing the leading 
Christian Endeavor features for fear the subjects are 
trite. Essential Christianity never becomes trite. 
The most essential matters, however, are made 
strangely inconsequential by a dull title ; and bright 
statement of them will brighten the most common- 



I04 OUR UNIONS. 

place subjects. In searching for fresh ways of putting 
things, however, the programme committee must 
fear the offence of mere " smartness *' more than the 
fault of dulhiess. In the following pages the model 
meeting is resolved into its proper elements, and 
numerous topics are suggested under each head. 
Those in quotation marks have been used in con- 
ventions ; those not so designated are, as far as we 
know, original with us. 

Analyze the Topics. — Your audience will be 
likely to get more from an address if the principal 
points the speakers intend to make are briefly noted 
upon the programme. Sometimes it is best to divide 
the topic into several portions, assigning each por- 
tion to a separate speaker. There comes then the 
play of different minds, and the audience is less 
likely to become wearied. 

The Address of Welcome. — Assign the address 
of welcome, if possible, to your best speaker. Noth- 
ing is so important as first things, and nothing is 
so hard to do well as commonplace things. The 
speaker may speak for the city government, for the 
church in which the convention is held, for the local 
Endeavor society or societies, or for the churches of 
the city. The response may be by the president of 
the union, by a visiting pastor or prominent \vorker. 
More than one address and response is almost cer- 
tain to be tiresome ; and even these, unless they are 
very *' snappy.'"* A printed concert exercise, with 
parts to be read alternately by hosts and guests, 
would make a pleasant variation. So would respon- 
sive verses of appropriate songs. 



THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. 105 

The Audience at Work. — Give the audience some- 
thing to do every half-hour. Make them feel that 
they are running the convention ; then all wheels 
will turn smoothly. Exercises for the drawing out 
and development of fresh talent are of double value ; 
they take the convention from the domain of King 
Cut-and-dried, and they suggest speaking material 
for the next convention. The audience may be set 
to work in many ways. Let all heads bow in silent 
prayer at the opening. Call for sentence prayers, 
for concert repetition of the Lord's Prayer, for brief 
prayers on special topics. Make liberal use of re- 
sponsive readings. Let your most able leader weave 
together by a few spiritual sentences a series of 
familiar songs on the same theme, to be sung by all, 
in spirited succession. Call out one-minute reports 
from societies, from district and county secretaries. 
Never omit the general question-box. A happy sup- 
plement is a question-box, at another session, on a 
single theme, as Junior work, inter-society visitation, 
the union lookout committee. A brisk variation, if 
you can find a sufficiently courageous man, is to set 
him forth to respond to oral questions from the floor. 
Another form of this most inspiriting part of the 
programme sets the leader to proposing problems, 
which are discussed by the members of the conven- 
tion who are called out by the leader or by their own 
spirit. The results of these open parliaments should 
be presented compactly at their close, either by the 
leader, or, better, by some on-looker to w^hom the 
task has been assigned, and wdio has the grace of 



Io6 OUR UNIONS. 

conciseness. Here are some themes for these gen- 
eral discussions : *' Our Workshop, the Committees." 
" Our Legitimate Work, — what it is, and ^Yhat it is 
not." *' The Sword of the Spirit, and how to wield 
it." Senior Societies of Christian Endeavor, — what 
they are, and why they are needed. Dangers of the 
Christian Endeavor movement, and how to avoid 
them. The Elements of the Model Christian Worker. 
How to Set People to Working. How has your So- 
ciety Helped you ? Which Element of Christian En- 
deavor work do you think most helpful? How can 
Religion be most attractively presented ? The Exal- 
tation of Christ in our Societies ; why and how? 

Often it is well to hold simultaneous conferences on 
committee work and kindred themes. These should 
sometimes be formal, in part at any rate, and some- 
times entirely conversation meetings. It is impor- 
tant, in all such cases of simultaneous meetings, to 
have five-minute reports of them before the entire 
convention, followed by an open discussion of these 
reports. 

The Music. — Solo singing has its place : but its 
place is never where congregational singing can well 
be introduced. It comes in well, however, in con- 
nection with congregational singing. Where the 
organ is a fine one, and the audience contains many 
country delegates, an organ recital will give great 
pleasure. A song service of fifteen minutes, espe- 
cially a song service skilfully knit together by spirit- 
ual remarks from the leader, makes probably the 
best introduction to a session. Provide an abun- 



THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. IO7 

dance of song-books. Leave out preludes and in- 
terludes. Get a director who is spirited, but not 
auctioneerish. Let the president fill in the unex- 
pected chinks with song. Here are some topics for 
song sen'ice : Sowing. The Parables. The Prom- 
ises. Life and Death. Power and Weakness. Christ 
in our Lives. The Bible. Work. Faith and Fru- 
ition. Our Master. Guide, Teacher, Friend and 
Saviour. Helping and being Helped. Our En- 
deavors, What and Why. 

The Consecration Meeting. — A consecration 
meeting at the end need not prevent one at the 
beginning. No topic of the programme needs such 
careful selection as these. They must be broad 
enough to appeal to all minds, yet definite enough 
to make a personal appeal to each mind. Here are 
some : " The Great Life-purpose.*' *' Soul-winning.*' 
"Girded Thought and Ser\'ice.*' "Faithfulness to 
Duty.-* " Here am I, send me.'* " Doing the Will 
of Christ.'^ " The Secret of Power."' "Not Weary 
in Well-doing.** The Sources and Power of a Holy 
Life. What Happiness is, whence it Comes, and 
what it Accomplishes. The Next Life : how to Pre- 
pare for it in this. How to make Sin Fearful, and 
how to take away the Fear of it. 

The Presence of the Holy Spirit. — Prayer should 
run, like a thread of hght, through the whole of the 
sessions. Open with silent prayer, followed by brief 
oral prayers of gratitude for the past, and petition 
for the success of the convention. Never omit that 
rich fountain of blessing, the sunrise prayer meeting. 



Io8 OUR UNIONS. 

Draw the audience into all devotional exercises as 
far as possible. Let these exercises make up for 
their brevity by their frequency. If the sessions 
last over Sunday, always emphasize one fundamen- 
tal Christian Endeavor principle by giving ''Attend- 
ance on the local churches,*' a conspicuous place in 
the programme. 

The Prayer Meeting. — It goes without saying 
that the central feature of Christian Endeavor work 
should be central in the discussions of Endeavor 
conventions. Especial pains should be taken to 
bring before the meetings accounts of fresh prayer- 
meeting ideas, and suggestive essays and talks by 
bright speakers. Introduce many topics like the 
following: "Why Separate Prayer Meetings for 
Young People?'' " A Three-minute Paper on each 
of these : Preparing: Inviting; Attending; Leading; 
Singing ; Testifying ; Praying ; Receiving ; Rejoicing ; 
Communicating."' *' The Responsibility of Leading 
a fleeting.*' " The Significance of the Consecration 
Meeting." " Witness-bearing.'- " Preparation for 
the Prayer Meeting.'' " How the Prayer Meetings 
may Lead to Conversions.*' "Christian Endeavor 
Graduates." " The Value of Expression.*' " The 
Prayers; the Praises; the Singing.'* "Hints to 
Leaders : Consistency of Life ; What to Teach ; How 
to Lead." " The Music : the Music Committee ; the 
Chorister : the Organist : Selecting Pieces ; Teaching 
Others to Read Music." "Prayer-meeting Ruts.*' 
"The Blessedness of Confessing Christ." "The 
Consecration Meetino: an Incentive to Faithful Ser- 



THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. IO9 

vice." ** How Far are We Individually Responsible 
for a Good Meeting?" ** Suggestions for a Chris- 
tian Endeavor Missionary Meeting, Temperance 
Meeting, etc." The Right and Wrong Use of 
Printed Comments on the Topics. How to get 
Thoughts. How to Gain Confidence in Public 
Prayer. Sanctified Ushers. Partnership with the 
Sexton. Music in the Meeting. How to Connect 
the Prayer Meeting with the Sunday-school Lesson 
Work. The Pastor in the Young People's Meeting ; 
what he should do, and what he should not do. 

For the Associate Members. — Endeavor soci- 
eties are fed from below, from the Juniors ; and from 
the side, from the Associates. Every convention 
should reach a hand down and a hand out, as well as 
stretch beseeching hands upward. Get conferences, 
symposia, or single papers on some such themes as 
these : '* How can we Reach and Help our Associate 
Members?'' "Our Duty to the Associate Mem- 
bers." ** Two Open Letters : from the Active Mem- 
ber to the Associate ; from the Associate Member 
to the Active." How to Freeze Out the Associate 
Members. Utilizing the Associates. When is it 
a Grace to be an Associate Member, and when a 
Disgrace ? Getting Associate Members to Work for 
Each Other. The Advantages of Frank Talk with 
the Associates : who should do it, and how it is to be 
done? Things which Keep Associate Members from 
becoming Active Members. How to be an Active 
Associate Member. How to Associate with Asso- 
ciate Members. 



no OUR UNIONS. 

The Juniors. — Work with the little children is 
so recent among Endeavorers, is comparatively so 
difficult, and is of such extreme importance, that 
for some time every Endeavor convention, even of 
but a single session, should bring out and inspire 
some thought on the matter. Here are some hints 
for subjects: "Two Views: (i) The Church With 
a Junior Society ; (2) The Church Without One." 
" The Model Junior fleeting.*' What a Junior 
Meeting is not. Talking Down to Children. How 
to Attract Interest and Keep it. The Art of Illus- 
tration. The Use of Story-telling in Junior Work. 
Dangers in Junior Work, and how to Avoid them. 
Qualifications for a Good Worker among the Juniors. 
How to get the Juniors to Co-operate wdth the Older 
Endeavorers. How to Teach Little Folks to Pray. 
Work in which Juniors most quickly Grow. 

The Social Side. — Social endeavors always re- 
ceive countless kindly illustrations in these conven- 
tions : but the theory of the social art may well be 
discussed also. The papers here suggested may well 
be followed by actual socials in the church parlors, 
to practise their precepts. Select for these subjects 
Endeavorers who will give large measure of practi- 
cal direction and small measure of generalization. 
*'The Principal Object of Christian Endeavor So- 
cials." *' What Constitutes a Good Time?" " Do 
our Socials Afford Opportunities to Win Souls ? 
How?''' '* How shall we Induce those not Chris- 
tians to Attend our Socials ? " " How Soon may we 
Expect Right Results ? *' What Games should not 



THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. Ill 

be Played at Christian Endeavor Socials? How 
Christian Endeavorers may Entertain a Crowd. Play 
and Profit. How to Lead and be Led in Socials. 
How to Win the Associate Members through Socials. 
Unsanctified Long Faces. All Society and no Chris- 
tian Endeavor : how came it, and what's to be 
done? 

Other Christian Endeavor Features. — (<^) The 
Pledge. '* Keeping the Pledge in the Spirit or the 
the Letter — which?*' ''The Cast-iron Pledge. '' 
*' The Pledge as a Stimulus to Christian Activity."" 
**The Three Elements of the Pledge: (i) Private 
Devotion; (2) Support of Church Services; (3) 
Public Confession.'"' How the Pledge Becomes a 
Burden: how it Becomes a Staff. Pledges Every- 
where. Why Pledge-taking is Manly. Backsliding 
from the Pledge : its Causes ; its Cures. Side-track- 
ing the Pledge. Objections to the Pledge and their 
Answers. Corollaries of the Pledge. Hidden Ele- 
ments of the Pledge. How to ]Make and Keep the 
Conscience Sensitive. 

{b) The Committees. *' How to Develop Effi- 
cient Committees."" *' Faithfulness to Committee 
Work."" ** Neglected Committees." '-CalUng and 
Relief Committees : What and Why ? "* How to make 
the Work of the Flower Committee Doubly Beauti- 
ful. Do we need New Committees? Have we too 
many Committees? How to get Chairmen to Lead 
and Committeemen to be Led. What is the Execu- 
tive Committee to Execute? On what Committees 
should none but Active Members Serv-e, and Wliy? 



112 OUR UNIONS. 

Humility and Vigor in Committee Work. What is 
the Usher Committee, and what may it Accomplish? 
By what Methods may the Good-Literature Commit- 
tee gain Subscriptions for Church Papers? How 
and why should Old Papers and Magazines be Col- 
lected ? Wherein does the Lookout Committee need 
to look out for itself? How^ may the Society help 
the Lookout Committee? The Value of Printer's 
Ink in Committee Work; the Danger of it. How 
to Revolutionize Reports. 

(c) The Officers. '*What are the Duties of 
the Corresponding Secretary?'' How to gain Dig- 
nity, Promptness and Efficiency as a Presiding Offi- 
cer. The Value of Records. What may a Treasurer 
do, besides Hold the Money ? What Use can the 
Endeavor Society make of the Newspaper, and which 
Officer should do this Work? The Vices ot Vice- 
Presidents. How not to Preside. Coquetting wdth 
one's Office. When is Office-holding a Duty? Pre- 
paring one's Successors. Office-holding and Office- 
filling. Magnifying one's Office: how and why. 

(a) Local Unions. Conventions. '' Reports 
from Larger Conventions.'' *'The Duties and Re- 
sults of the Union Lookout Committee." *^How 
can our Local Union Work be Improved ?" *' The 
Work of the District Superintendent, and how it 
may be made more Efficient." "How the Local 
Union may reach Churches having no Young Peo- 
ple's Societies." "The Inter-Visitation Scheme." 
*' What should I bring to the Convention, and what 
carry away ? " Elements of Disintegration in Local 



THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. 



113 



Unions : how can we neutralize them ? One-man 
Power in Local Unions, and its Dangers. How to 
Perpetuate the Convention. The Unconventional 
Convention, and how to get it. What makes a 
Good Audience 1 

(e) Miscellaneous. *' Fnthusiasm in Christian 
Endeavor Work." " Why so Few Ideal Societies ? •' 
*'TheUnifyingInfluenceoftheY.P.S.C.E." ''Why 
the Church should Welcome the Christian Endeavor 
Movement." ''Evolution in Christian Endeavor." 
" Our Work : Duties to be Done ; Dangers to be En- 
countered ; Encouragements to be Given ; Results to 
be Aimed at." " Our Central Idea." ^' The Line of 
Enlargements." " How to Develop the Latent Talent 
in our Societies." " The Young Christianas Duty to 
his own Church." " How can our Societies best reach 
Young Men ? — Young Women .^ " " Permanent Ele- 
ments of Christian Endeavor Societies." *' The Soci- 
ety's Appeal to the Military Virtues." " The Society 
for Christ; for the Church; for Humanity," "The 
Daily Conduct of Christian Endeavorers." "What 
is your Aim, Endeavorer ? " "Danger Signals." 
" Some Conditions of Successful Endeavor Work." 
" Our Watchwords : Duty (to the Church) ; Loyalty 
(to Christ) ; Fellowship (one with another)." " The 
Mary and Martha Sides of Christian Endeavor 
Wurk." " The Field for Christian Endeavor Work." 
" How can Christian Endeavor Societies be carried 
on Successfully in Small Towns .^" "Nineteenth 
Century Societies." " The Necessity for Prayer in 
our Meetings." " Is the Y. P. S. C. E. a success?" 



114 ^^^R UNIONS. 

*' Soul-winning the Ultimate End of Christian En- 
deavor.*' *' The Society as a Circulating Medium for 
Religious Reading.*' *' The Badge we Wear, and 
why we Wear it." ** Christian Endeavor Fellow- 
ship." 

Kindred Causes. — We are proud of Christian 
Endeavor, but that pride must not blind us to the 
other noble movements of the religious world. 
Every convention is the better for shaking hands 
cordially with one or more of these. A few of such 
kindred causes are here mentioned: "The Ideal 
Sunday." '' The Sunday that we can Realize." 
*' What can Christian Endeavor do to secure better 
Sunday observance ? " *' The claims of the Ministry 
on Young Men." Christian Endeavor for the W. C. 
T. U. and the Y.*s. The various organizations for 
systematic Bible study, and how can we use them in 
our Societies ? How the Y. M. C. A.'s and Y. P. 
S. C. E.*s occupy entirely different Fields. The 
White Cross Work. Christian Endeavor for the 
Indian. The Country W^eek, and our Stock in it. 
Good Government, and how it Depends upon the 
Minors. The Unique Features of the Christian 
Endeavor movement, and Reasons for Insistence 
on the Christian Endeavor Name. 

The Conduct of Life. — Our pledge is so inclusive 
that any ethical question is properly discussed before 
a convention ; for have we not promised to do as our 
Master wills in all things ? Organizations are alive 
only as they bear fruit in lives. And so one such 
topic as the folloAving may well appear on every 



THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. II5 

Christian Endeavor convention programme: *' Fi- 
delity." '' The Secret of a Happy Life.'- '' Take 
a Higher Plane." *' Sanctified Endeavor." ** Satis- 
factory Service." ''What of it?" ''The Chris- 
tian's Influence upon his E very-day Associates." 
For a series : *' The Young Christian can help his 

Church by ; his Pastor by ; his Brother 

by ." " World-\Yide Movements for Christ." 

" Power for Service." " The Christian in the 
World." " The Maximum Christian." " Christian 
Growth." " Christian Steadfastness." False Re- 
creations. 

The Bible. — Christian Endeavorers delight in the 
Bible, and so should their conventions. Above all 
things, do not assign the Bible-reading of the meet- 
ings to a man whose voice is feeble and articulation 
muddled, and w4io reads without spirit and under- 
standing. If any exercise deserves impressive deliv- 
ery, this does. Nor is it the easiest thing in the 
world to prepare a Bible-reading and make it effec- 
tive before an audience ; rather is the task one of 
the most difBcult in the world, requiring not only in- 
genuity and spirituality, but the best of literary and 
oratorical art. Honor the Bible in these w^ays, in 
concert and responsive readings, and in frequent 
papers and discussions like the following: "The 
need of a Bible Training-Class in each Society." 
" The Sword of the Spirit." " How to Read the 
Bible in Private Devotion." " Bible Study essential 
to Spiritual Growth." " Methods of Bible Study 
Preparatory to Personal Work." " How to Preserve 



Il6 OUR UXIOXS. 

the Proper Balance of Scripture, Testimony and 
Prayer.'' "How to Study the Bible." "How to 
Use the Bible to Win Souls." "The Method of 
Bible Study best suited to our Societies.'* " God's 
Word in Christian Endeavor Work." The Misuse 
of the Bible. The Helpfulness of Concordances and 
Bible Indexes. The Use and Abuse of Commen- 
taries. How to Mark a Bible. How to Study the 
Bible with others. Daily Readings : at what Hour? 
how Long? in what Planner? Private Reading for 
Public Use. How to become able to Quote the 
Bible well. 

Missions. — Get news from headquarters, if you 
can : find a real live missionary to talk to you. Deal 
sparingly in letters from abroad ; letters, especially 
from busy people, are usually unsatisfactory, except 
to personal friends. Remember that Endeavor is 
Christian and can expect the prosperity of Christ 
only as, with Christ, it goes into all the world. Give 
large room to such themes as the following: " Mis- 
sions: our Duty towards them." " In Darkest New 
York." " Personal Missionary Work." " System- 
atic Christian Endeavor in Evangelistic Work (i) 
In the City : (2) In the Country ; (3) Around 
the World.'' " Why should I be a Foreign Mis- 
sionary?" "Why should I support a Foreign 
Missionary?" "The Joy of Giving." Polyglot 
Christian Endeavor. How to Support a Missionary. 
Systematic Giving : what it is, and what it does. 
The Two-cents-a-week Plan. Offertory Calendars. 
Missions in the Home. Xeiirhborhood Missions. 



TME PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. II7 

Missions in Odd Places. Missionary Triumphs. 
For abundant additional topics see Mr. Mershon's 
excellent pamphlet, ** Portfolio of Programmes for 
Missionary Meetings,'' and Miss Brain's '* Fuel 
for Missionary Fires," both published by the United 
Society. 

Temperance. — Prominent among the allied causes 
in which all Endeavorers take an interest is the tem- 
perance movement, and every convention programme 
should give wise direction to this interest. Let such 
topics as these be discussed : What Constitutes In- 
temperance? Intoxicants which are not Alcoholic: 
their Use and Danger. Alcohol in Disguise. What 
does it Cost? Christ's Life a Temperance Sermon. 
Drunkards who are not Drunk. What are some of 
the False Remedies for Intemperance? What is the 
only Foundation for a Temperate Life, and why ? 
Organized Temperance Efforts, their Power and 
their Need. How can Children be helped toward 
Temperance, and help others ? Good Plans for a 
Temperance Prayer Meeting. Temperance Endeav- 
ors in small towns ; in cities. 

Looking Backward and Forward. — Insert just 
enough about the past to make a good stepping- 
stone toward the future. Christian Endeavor is to 
make history, not to gloat over it. Conventions 
must gather up results ; but their chief work is to 
inspire to larger results. The model programme 
will contain one feature looking (though the meta- 
phor is a comical one) both backward and forward. 
These topics will suggest others : ''A Decade of 



Il8 OUR UNIONS. 

Progress, a Decade of Promise." "Larger Results 
— how Conditioned." '' The State Convention of 
189- : what the Convention expects of us; what we 
expect of the Convention." " Shall there be an Ad- 
vance Movement in 189- ? (i) The Spiritual side 
of our work made pre-eminent. (2) More aggressive 
Personal work for Christ." " The Backward and 
Forward look of the Society : Backward, to the 
Juniors ; Forward, to the Church." *' A Symposium. 
What can we put into our work, the coming year, to 
to make it more efficient ? (i) More Consecration. 
(2) More Enthusiasm. (3) A stronger Allegiance to 
the Pledge. (4) Faithfulness to Committee Work. 
(5) Loyalty to our ow^n Church. (6) Making our 
Religion more Practical. (7) Quality, not Quan- 
tity." '' Some things New and some things to Re- 
new in Christian Endeavor work." '* What for the 
Future : Winter Quarters, or a Campaign.^ " 

For Pastors. — Every Christian Endeavor conven- 
tion should emphasize the fact that Endeavorers 
honor their pastors, and seek in every way to be 
subordinate and helpful to them. Room should 
always be made for a convention sermon, even if it 
be only a ten-minute sermon. Introduce pastors' 
half-hours, in which the pastors, by representatives 
of the several denominations included in the union, 
or in a manner more free, may give and receive 
Endeavor inspiration. By pastors and by laymen 
let such topics as these be discussed: '* How .has 
the Y. P. S. C. E. benefited my Church ?" *'The 
Endeavorer in the Sunday evening Service: (i) As 



THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. II9 

the Pastor views it; (2) As the Members view it." 
'' How may the Society help its Pastor ? " " How 
may the Pastor help his Society?" *' The Ideal 
Pastor for a Christian Endeavor Society." *' The 
Ideal Attitude of the Church toward the Society." 
What relation should exist between the Officers of 
the Church and of the Society ? Societies which 
Push the Church, and Societies which are Pushed by 
the 'Church. How to crowd the Mid-week Prayer 
Meeting. What Endeavorers want in the Sermon ; 
What the Sermon wants in Endeavorers. The Pas- 
tors who do not Attend their young people's meet- 
ings. The Crusade against Pastors' Opposition: 
What the Young may do ; What other Pastors may 
do. 

Business. — Usually the only collection taken 
should be to supply the absolutely necessary funds 
for carrying on the union. Union meetings should 
not be used as conveniences to raise money for local 
causes, or for schemes which any well-meaning phi- 
lanthropist may bring to your attention. The be- 
nevolence of Endeavorers should go through their 
own churches to their own denominational causes. 
This is the universal rule. Great attention should 
be given to this point. Do not let your union, State 
or local, be used as a money-raising convenience. 

All the grace of the prayers and the papers may 
be neutralized by a graceless business meeting. Let 
the business meeting be an anticipatory illustration 
of the consecration meeting. Open it with prayer, 
conduct it with prayer, and close it with prayer. 



I20 OUR UNIONS. 

A good outline for the meeting is the following : 
''Minutes. President's Report. Secretary's Report. 
Treasurer's Report. Report of the Union Lookout 
Committee. Report of the Extension Committee. 
Report of the Nominating Committee. Election of 
Officers. Miscellaneous Business." The reports of 
the various officers and committees of the Union 
should be briefest of the brief, boiled down to the 
point of interest. These topics may excite helpful 
discussions of such matters: "Business Methods 
in Christian Endeavor Societies." '' Money in the 
Lord's Work." " The Model Society Business Meet- 
ing." (Five-minute reports from different commit- 
tees.) How may the Business Meeting be made a 
Training in Christianity ? What are the Dangers 
of the Business Meeting ? What Society Business 
may be Transacted on Sunday, and under what Cir- 
cumstances only? What are the Causes of Unbusi- 
ness-like Methods ? Good Ways of Raising Money. 
Wrong Ways of Raising Money. Organization a 
good Servant but a bad Master. How to gain 
Business-like Habits, and how to help others gain 
them. How it Helps a Society to take up a Collec- 
tion in it. To w^hat Objects may a Christian En- 
deavor Society be asked to Contribute Money? 
Stationary vs. Perambulating Contribution-boxes. 
What may Executive Committees Accomplish for 
the Good of the Society? 

Closely Woven Meetings. — For the sake of unity 
and of novelty it is a good idea sometimes to plan 
for an entire convention whose sessions shall be knit 



THE PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS. 121 

together by some central idea of manifold out-reach- 
ings. The following schemes ^Yill suffice to illus- 
trate: '■''Lessons fro7n Saint Paul for CJwistiafi 
Endeavorers : (i) Advice Concerning the Charac- 
ter which Active Members Should Maintain ; (2) 
His Example Respecting Questionable Acts or Em- 
ployments ; (3) His Ideas Concerning Prayer meet- 
ings ; (4) Paul as a Member of a Lookout Committee ; 
(5) Paul on the Missionary Committee ; (6) PauPs 
Method of Reaching Associate Members ; (7) PauPs 
Enthusiastic Loyalty to Christ; (8) PauPs Consecra- 
tion to Service." The Little Gia7it, Ch7'istian En- 
deavor: (i) Its Eyes, the Lookout Committee; (2) 
Its Mouth, the Prayer-meeting Committee ; (3) Its 
Ears, the Music Committee ; (4) Its Hands, the 
Social Committee and the "Executive Committee ; 
(5) Its Eeet, the Missionary Committee ; (6) Its 
Brain, the Good-Literature Committee ; (7) Its 
Backbone, the Pledge. The Vertebrae of the Back- 
bone. (8) Its Heart, Christ. The Lord''s Prayer 
Convention: (i) Our Father: the Christian En- 
deavorers Leader ; (2) Hallowxd be thy Name : 
the Art of Prayer; (3) Thy Kingdom: the Weak- 
ness and Strength of Modern Missions ; (4) Thy 
Will : Consecration an Active, not a Passive, Con- 
dition ; (5) Our Daily Eread : Things to be Thank- 
ful for ; (6) Our Trespasses : the Struggle Between 
Sin and Endeavor ; (7) Our Temptations : the Dan- 
gers in the Way of Christian Endeavor ; (8) Thine 
the Glory : the Final Triumph of Christian En- 
deavor, — when and how? In similar fashion may 



122 OUR UNIONS. 

be worked out : The Beatitudes Convention, The 
Parable Convention, The Convention of Promises, 
The Convention of Prophecy, and so on. 

The Arrangement of the Programme. — In ar- 
ranging- the programme, two rather opposing ends 
are to be sought : the meetings must have sym- 
metry and continuity, and yet monotony must be 
avoided. Watch with especial care the question 
of time. Cut your coat according to your cloth, 
and do not expect to get a two-days' programme 
out of ten hours. Leave interstices throughout the 
programme, into wliich papers and discussions may 
stretch if they must ; only, keep this provision a 
secret from the speakers! 



IMPORTANT 
Christian Endeavor Publications. 



Our Unions. A manual of methods for Local, County, District, and 
State Christian Endeavor Unions. By Amos R. Wells. Cloth, 
128 pages. Price, 35 cents. 

Social to Save. A Book of Suggestions for the Social Committees 
of Christian Endeavor Societies and for the Home Circle. By 
Amos R. Wells. Cloth. Price, 35 cents. 

Prayer Meeting Methods. How to Prepare for and Conduct Chris- 
tian Endeavor Prayer Meetings and Similar Gatherings. By Amos 
R. Wells. Cloth. Price, 50 cents. 

The Junior Manual. By Amos R. Wells. This is the only full 
and complete manual for Junior workers ever published. It con- 
tains many times more matter than any other help for Junior 
superintendents ever written. It is practical. All its plans have 
been tried and proved. Hundreds of Junior superintendents 
from all parts of the world have contributed to it their brightest 
methods. Price, board covers, 75 cents; cloth, ^1.25 postpaid. 
Remit with order. 

Attractive Truths in Lesson and Story. By Mrs. A. M. Scudder. 
Introduction by Rev. F. E. Clark, President Y. P. S. C. E. 
i2mo, cloth, $1.25. A series of outline lessons, with illustrative 
stories, for Junior Christian Endeavor Societies, Children's 
Meetings, and Home Teaching. 

Little Children in the Church of Christ. By Rev. Charles 
Roads. Cloth, $1.00. This book is made up of little talks to 
the children on important topics. At the head of each talk is 
a little blackboard sketch, which will prove very helpful to the 
leader. It is full of hints and helps for Junior superintendents 
and primary workers. 

Pictured Truth. A Handbook of Blackboard and Object Teaching. 
By Rev. R. F. Y. Pierce. Cloth, $1.25. Every Junior worker 
should have this book. The illustrations are very fine, and the 
suggestions are simply invaluable. 

PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT 
UNITED SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR 

Boston, 646 Washington St. Chicago, 155 LaSalle St. 



LEAFLETS. 



PER lOO 

A Live Junior Society. By Rev. W. W. Sleeper . 3c. ea. $2.00 
A Live Missionary Committee. Its object, organization, and 

practical methods of work. By Frances B. Patterson. 

3c. ea 2.00 

A Model Business Meeting. Practical suggestions for many 

committees 5c. ea. 

Christian Endeavor and Cliristian Citizenship. By John 

G, WooLLEY, Frances E. Willard, Rev. Smith Baker, 

D.D., Rev. E. B. Chappell, D.D., Rev. H. B. Grose. 

8c. ea. . . . , 6.00 

Christian Endeavor and the Church. By Rev. F. E. Clark, 

D.D., 3c. ea. 2.00 

Christian Endeavor Essentials and Auxiliaries. By Rev. 

F. E. Clark 5c. ea. 

Daily Readings and Prayer-Meeting Topics ... 3c. ea. 1.50 
Flower Committee at Work. Practical suggestions . 3c. ea. 2.00 
Hints for Forming Junior Societies. By Rev. W. W. 

Sleeper 3c. ea. 1.50 

Junior Constitutions 2c. ea. 1.25 

Junior Christian Endeavor Unions. By Kate H. Haus. 

3c. ea 1.50 

Junior Christian Endeavor Societies. By Rev. F. E. 

Clark 3c. ea. 2.00 

Junior Daily Verse and Prayer-Meeting Topics . 3c. ea. 1.50 
Junior Field and Work. By Mrs. F. E. Clark and Kate 

H. Haus 5c. ea. 3.00 

Junior Meetings and How tp Conduct Them. By Mrs. 

James L. Hill .... 12c. ea. ; in quantities, loc. ea. 

Lookout Committee at Work 3c. ea. 2.00 

Lookout Committee Outlines 3c. ea. 2.00 

Missionary Committee at Work. By W. Henry Grant. 

3c. ea 2.00 

Missionary Plans for Junior Societies. By V. F. P. 3c. ea. 2.00 

Model Constitution and By-Laws 3c. ea. 2.00 

Mothers' Society of Christian Endeavor. With Constitution 

and hints for forming 3c. ea. 1.50 

Outline Study of Life of Christ. Questions and answers. 

For Junior sociaties. By Rev. A. W. Spooner . 5c. ea. 3.00 

Our Crowning Meetinsr. How the consecration service may 
be made more helpful. By Amos R. Wells . . loc. ea. 

PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT 

UNITED SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR 

Boston, 646 Washington St. Chicago, 155 La Salle St. 



BOOKS. 

Social Erenings. A book for social committees, and for all who 
appredare pleasant and helpful amusements. By Aiios R. 
Wells, Managing Editor of T^ Golden Rtde. This is a pretty- 
book of about 150 pages, liandsomely bound in cloth. It contains 
full descriptions of a very large number of socials, games, and 
delightful features for evenings' entertainments at home or in 
public gatherings. Evenrthiag in the book is adapted to large 
parties, for whose needs it is most difficult to provide. The book 
is preceded by numerous general suggestions regarding the con- 
duct of such entertainments. This is just the book youx social 
committee needs. It contains enough ideas to furnish socials for 
years. Everything in the book is practical, and has been tried 
and proved. 7S games I 82 complete socials I About 150 pages I 
150 separate articles I And the cost ? Only 35 cents a copy. 

Fuel for Xissionaiy Fires. By Belle M. Brain. *' Where fu> 
'mood is, there the fire goeth aut.''^ A beautiful book, packed full 
of practical plans for missionary committees. Everything tried 
and proved. It will make your missionary meetings the brightest 
you ever held. It will rouse your society to a burning interest in 
this greatest of all great endeavors, — the world for Christ I Only 
50 cents. 

Ways and Means. By Rev. F. E. Clark, D D. lamo. $1.25. A 
history of the Christian Endeavor movement from its beginning 
to the present time; with valuable suggestions for the prayer 
meeting, the committees, and all lines of work adopted by Chris- 
tian Endeavor Societies. 

Tke Mossbai^ Correspondence. By Rev. F. E. Clark, D.D. 
lamo, $1.00. Plain, pointed, and graphic thrusts at the faults and 
follies of the day. — Christiaji Intelligencer. 

Bays of Lisht on Our Daily Path. By William Merkle. With 
intrc-ducdon bv Bishop John H. Vincent. Vest-pocket size. 
Bound in flexible cloth, 25 cents. A choice selection of Scripture 
readings for every day in the year, with a memory verse empha- 
siziag some great truth as revealed in the Bible. Just the thing 
for ^umly devotions. 

BMSiaess. A Plain Talk with Men amd Women Who Work. By 
Amos R. Wells. 35 cents. An exceedingly attractive and help- 
ful Kttle book. Whatever your work may be, you will find tliat 
the book contains a message for vou. Read it I 



PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT 
UNITED SOCIETY OF CHRISTL\N ENDEAVOR 

Boston, 646 Washington St, Chicago, 155 La Salle St. 



LEAFLETS. 



PER lOO. 

Pledsre-Makers and Pledge-Breakers. A capital leaflet on 

the pledge 5c. ea. JJ3.00 

PrajrerOIeetins: >'otes and Suggestions. By Rev. J. L. 

Hill, D.D 3c. ea. 2.00 

Prayer-Meeting Plans for Committee Workers . . 3c. ea. 2.00 

Portfolio of Missionary Programs. By S. L. Mershon. 
IOC. ea. 

Responsibilities of Success. By Rev. F. E. Clark, D.D., 

and JoHX Willis Baer 3c. ea. 2.00 

Senior Society of Christian Endeavor. With Constitution 

and suggestions for organizing 3c. ea. 1.50 

Scripture Illustrated. Object Lessons for Juniors. By Mrs. 
Alice M. Scudder 5c. ea. 

Social Committee at Work. With hints for socials . 5c. ea. 3.00 

Social Purity and Foes to Society, Church and State. By 
Rev. George Douglas, D.D., and Anthony Comstock 
7c. ea 5.CX) 

Sunday-School Committee at Work. Plans and suggestions 

3c. ea 1.50 

Sunday-School Endeavors. Suggestions for tlie Sunday- 
School committee. By Amos R. Wells .... loc. ea. 

Suggestions to Good-Literature Committee . . 3c. ea. 2.00 

Systematic Benevolence. Prize essays 5c. ea. 

Temperance Committee at Work 3c. ea. 2.00 

The Pledge as a Tonic. With directions for taking, and 

many testimonials 3c. ea. 2.00 

Verse-Keaders' Class, and How to Secure Graduates. 

3c. ea 2.00 

What It is and How It Works. The object and aim of Chris- 
tian Endeavor. By Rev. F. E. Clark .... 3c. ea. 2.00 

Why I Believe in the Christian Endeavor Interdenomina- 
tional Fellowship 3c. ea. 2.00 

Why I Joined the Church 2c. ea. i.oo 

Why Sign the Temperance Pledge 2c. ea. i.oo 

Why You Should Become an Active Member. By Rev. 

F. E.- Clark = . . 2c. ea. i.oo 

Why You Should Join the Church. By Rev. Calvin 

Cutler 2c. ea. i.oo 

Work of Committees Sc. ea. 3.00 

Year-Book and Almanac. Price, 10 cents. 



PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT 
UNITED SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR 

Boston, 646 Washington St. Chicago, 155 La Salle St. 



BOOKS. 



Why. Reasons for the Christian Endeavor Movement. By 
Rev. W. F. McCauley. i8mo, cloth, semi-flexible, 50 cents. 
This book shows "Why" Christian Endeavor is a movement 
deserving the support of all. It answers many questions that 
have perplexed sincere, but timid, Endeavorers, and refutes ob- 
jections urged by those opposed to the movement. 

How. A Handbook of Christian Endeavor Methods. At once 
the latest and best. By Rev. W. F. McCauley. i8mo, cloth, 
semi-flexible, 50 cents. It tells how to begin, how to go to work, 
how *o keep working, how to get others to work, how to work 
singly, in committees, in society, in local unions, in conventions, 
and all. It is the best tool, next to the Bible, the earnest En- 
deavorer can get into his hands. 

Golden Eule Meditations. By Prof. Amos R. Wells. Cloth, 50 
cents; paper, 35 cents. The demand for this charming series of 
heart talks has made a second edition necessary, and, in order to 
still further extend its circulation, a paper-covered edition has 
been prepared. 

A Cluster of Pearls for Christian Endeavor Workers. Compiled 
by W. A. Newman Dorland. i2mo, 75 cents. A volume rich 
in valuable and appropriate selections such as will meet the needs 
of Christian workers in all lines, and prove helpful and inspiring. 

Wisdom from the Book. For the Every-Day Life of Young Peo- 
ple. By Rev. J. R. Simmons. Price, 25 cents. God's word 
applied to practical every-day life. Every young person should 
have one. 

Some Christian Endeavor Saints. By Rev. F. E. Clark, D.D. 
Cloth, $1.00. These character sketches are of absorbing interest, 
kindly in spirit, yet keen and discriminating in portraying the 
weakness and strength of people we meet every day. 

Looking Out On Life. By Rev. F. E. Clark, D.D. Cloth, 75 
cents. A book for girls that every girl should read. 

The Wonderful Counselor. By Henry B. Mead. Cloth, 50 cents. 
This little book contains all the recorded words of the Lord Jesus, 
arranged in a simple and novel way, so that they can be easily 
memorized. 

When Thou Hast Shut Thy Door. A book for the quiet hour- 
By Amos R. Wells. Cloth. Price, 60 cents. 

PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT 
UNITED SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR 

BostoN, 646 Washington St. Chicago, 155 La Salle St. 



